Hana Ni Arashi
by Raina1
Summary: Yamai wa ki kara, sickness is a thing of the spirit. She never asked for this life and living it as a Uchiha wasn't making it any easier. Genfic. Divergent timeline and events from The Valley of the End.
1. Fathers and Daughters

**Disclaimer: _Naruto belongs to its respective copyrights and whatnot. I would not dare to claim propriety, ownership or credit for its creation. I am merely a fan expressing her 'fanness.'_**

**Author's Note:** This is something I have wanted to write and it's not your typical 'Naruto characters have kids' fic. I'm going to try to keep everyone in character. Since this takes place somewhere up to fifteen to twenty years later, most of the characters in this story are in their late twenties. Obviously they've matured since then so forgive a deviation or two. The title comes from a Japanese proverb: _"tsuki ni muragumo, hana ni arashi" _translation: "clouds over the moon, a storm over blossoms."

**Summary:** _Uchiha Katana was born into a life on the run, always having to be one step ahead of an enemy she cannot see or understand, in a story she has only become a part of by chance. Her father is the man who keeps her to this path - HIS path - one wrought of a tragedy fueled by the revenge he swore to take long ago. Will Katana fall to the curse of being a Uchiha or reach out and take hold of her own happiness?_

**Hana Ni Arashi  
**(A Storm Over Blossoms)

By Raina

My father was never what you might call a man of great imagination. The first example would obviously be me. You could hardly blame a man, who's been a ninja for most of his waking life for naming a baby after a _weapon_, especially since he had no wife or girlfriend around to maybe tell him that wasn't such a good idea. He was sixteen, too young to be a dad and too stubborn to know that toting around an infant amidst flying kunai and pursuing hunter nin wasn't a great way to bring up a little girl. In _his_ mind, he had no choice. In _his_ mind, my existence completed one of two of his ambitions, the first one he's still having some problems with. Technically if he had his way, I wouldn't even exist.

A bastard child wasn't what he had had in mind, you see.

He had only himself to blame. That, a stupid bartender who _should_ have checked his ID, a generous helping of alcohol, an opportunistic cradle robbing prostitute and nine months later an unwelcome burden. He wouldn't even have known about me hadn't he made the mistake of stopping at the same inn twice. Providentially this woman seized the moment to shove me under my young father's nose and simply _demanded_ he unburden her (apparently a baby was bad for her business, if you call opening your legs to the highest bidder a business). Apparently word had circulated around about whom and what she had her last "transaction" with and was in a great hurry to be rid of the resultant "credit bill."

Nobody wants a child with a Bloodline Limit. People tend to get phobic about that kind of thing you know.

At first, being _him_, he flat out refused. Uchiha Sasuke take responsibility for a _baby_? Now? Ever? Absurd! Counterproductive! Out of the question! A bawling infant would only interfere with his ultimate ambition as an Avenger! Anyone so _baka_ not to realize the gravity of his often weighty and obscure ambitions needed a serious reality check and no it wasn't refundable!

Then later he caught the bitch trying to drown me.

You don't fuck with a Uchiha.

So I can't say I'm entirely too ungrateful. Things could have turned out differently, or worse as I imagine. If I look back on my life I'd say I was born at the wrong time in a world that didn't know what to do with me. My father certainly didn't. To him I was another "Here I am deal with me" issue. Being a teenage boy, a squalling infant was not something he anticipated in his search for power to kill his brother. If I wasn't so undeniably his own flesh and blood and something in the long run he would want very much, he would have abandoned me. No. I was another Uchiha. I was part of his clan. I was important.

I was also a secret. If Orochimaru (some snake bastard who wanted to use my father for some sort of body-jump jutsu) found out I had been the reason he up and vanished off the Hidden Village of Sound's radar one day, he'd have had himself TWO potential containers. Nope, couldn't have that, no sir. So into obscurity he and I went and willingly. I guess it would be irrelevant to say it we became experts at it. Everyone's got a skeleton in the closet. I was just another one in my father's. Can't complain, though. Daddy was always there and as long as he was, I was happy.

There _are_ times, when I'm so pissed off I can't see straight, I wish he hadn't dragged me into his messy life. Did I want to live like there was no tomorrow? Did he even bother to ask me? Give me a freakin' choice? I'd rather have had adopted parents and lived in some nice village than having to hide in the shadows watching him fend off enemies, always with the knowledge lurking in the back of my mind I might just be witnessing his last battle. That I would lose the only family - the only _home_ - I'd ever known. Did he even stop for one second to decide what might be best for _me_? Talk about being young and stupid. Hello, this is kettle you're black. Moving along.

These conflicting feelings of resentment came to me when I hit the prodigal age of twelve. By that time I was just as good a ninja as he had been then. Of course, to be a Uchiha is to be elite. According to some weird alleged god only my clan seemed to worship, I was _supposed_ to be amazing. Or so I've been told.

We'd checked into some roach infested inn in the arse end of nowhere; the farther out in the sticks the better. To my eternal dismay, I discovered I was on my last tampon (do NOT get me started about my entrance into puberty, I found out about my body changes out of a book and several dubiously reliable secondhand sources). In frustration, I wound up punching half a hole in the tile wall, while growling a few choice unladylike phrases under my breath. The thoughts that ran through my head at this exact moment went like this:

__

I am so stupid, how could I forget to check, got to be the dumbest person in the world, I would have remembered if those goddamn asshole robbers hadn't attacked us three days ago, I might have gotten some from that roadside diner on the way here but noooo they had_ to keep insisting they were a bunch of pathetic bad asses even though Otosan beat the crap out of them the first two times, you know I wouldn't have _minded_ seeing a few dead bodies, why does Otosan have such a _problem_ killing people in front of me? Damn it all to hell, my life officially sucks!_

Stewing a bit, I stared hard at the stained linoleum before coming to the reluctant conclusion brooding and causing structural damage wasn't going to increase the number of sanitary resources in my travel bag. Straightening up, I yanked up my black Capri pants and swept my sleeveless dress over it, short and split down the sides for increased mobility and a deep navy blue which made it easier to blend in with my surroundings. Stealth. It had been my first adept skill, even before I learned hand seals.

Procrastinating before the cracked mirror, I contemplated my appearance. A shower would be nice, I decided. I pulled out the senbon needles that were keeping my hair pinned up, allowing the black waterfall to tumble across my shoulders down to the small of my back. Absently I ran my fingers through it quickly, tucking it behind my ears and sweeping the rest of it behind my shoulders. Then I stared at my reflection again. Otosan once told me - only once and never again - I reminded him of his mother. Well, I never knew my grandmother, never seen her to compare, but without a doubt I could see by no long shot in the dark, I was definitely _his_ daughter. We both had the same narrow onyx eyes the same hard set of the mouth and we were both as pale as any two people who called the shadows home sweet home could be.

Not for the first time, I wondered if I was what would be considered pretty. If this is what it meant to look attractive. _Baka._ I made a couple of faces and stuck out my tongue Pretty, ugly, what did it matter? A ninja didn't worry about such stupid things. Boys . . . dating . . . girlfriends . . . they were for other girls. Girls who had planned lives, a certain, optimistic future, girls who didn't have to think too much about their prepaid, preset lives where everything just fell into place. Me, I didn't get to have that. Me was never an option.

My eyes stung. _What the hell am I here for?_ Aw crap, I was going to start crying again, wasn't I?

A spot of wetness appeared on my hand. Absently I wiped it away. "Shower," I muttered and quickly stripped for the activity. Taking my time, I enjoyed the hot water on my back and in my hair, watching with unveiled pleasure as the day's dirt and filth spiraled down the drain (along with one or two cockroaches, whose watery demise I watched impassively). I unwrapped the bandage from around my leg where a bandit's kunai had sliced it that day, allowing the water to wash it out, watching the blood go down the drain after the doomed household pests. When I was finished and dried off, I sat on the toilet lid and trussed the wound once again before getting dressed. Next I tucked in a few choice weapons under my clothes that wouldn't poke me while I slept with them. Finally I picked up my pack and boots with two fingers and exited the bathroom, my still damp hair a black curtain around my head.

Standing uncertainly on the threshold, I scanned the hotel room. The lights were off. Only the pale moonlight filtering in made anything visible.

Otosan was sitting by the window. It was where he'd been when I'd gone into the bathroom and where he'd remained when I emerged. At twenty-seven, he was a handsome man - that I drew from my own opinion and the giggling twinkle-eyed women who smirked at him from behind cupped hands, appreciating his dark eyes and almost feminine features. It wasn't right for a man to be that good-looking, I'd overheard someone say once. Any man who looked that perfect either was lying to the world, or hiding something sinister. His aura of omnipotence was lost on me. He was just Otosan. Whatever he was to the world, in the end to me he was just my father, someone I simultaneously loved to death, couldn't stand and didn't comprehend one single bit.

He glanced at me quickly when I'd opened the door and gone back to watching the outside as if nothing had happened. The night was quiet, abstract and desolate. Not unlike the man watching it. My father's mind was an unfathomable thing to me, comprised of his own private inner hell that had begun at age seven and one that had cost him everything.

Except me.

Moseying quietly to one of the double beds, I sat down on it, watching him still.

"You can use it now," I murmured, drawing back the coverlet. "I'm finished."

"Aa." He didn't move.

Silence. "Um," I began, casting my gaze downward. "I need more . . . you know. Can I . . . "

"On the chair."

Shutting up, I went over to the chair near the door. There was a small box. Opening my mouth, I looked back up at him.

"There was a dispenser down the hall."

I see. I didn't need to say my thanks. Stowing it away quickly, I dropped my pack next to his on the floor and went back to my bed. I crawled under the covers and turned with my back to the wall, too exhausted to sleep and too tired to stay awake. Damn, I finally get to sleep in a bed for the first time in two months and I can't even do it. I stared into the distance for a long time, cursing inwardly.

"You should get some sleep."

I blinked, a bit startled. Shifting my weight, I slung one arm under the pillow and supported it, half-hugging it to my body. He took note of this and gave me his full attention. It was a silent cue: spit it out.

I sat up a little, bit my lip and looked away for a minute. His gaze bore into me.

Unable to bear it, I looked at him again. There was no way I could hide the deep contempt, despite my efforts to gentle it and mask it. You can't hide what you feel forever.

His reply was soft. "I know."

My eyes narrowed.

My father didn't reply immediately. "Tell me."

"I want . . ." I trailed off. "I want to stop." I sighed, pausing. "I want you to stop too."

Weary exhalation. "You know I can't."

Yes. Nothing could stop him. Not until That Man was dead. Not until Itachi, the unseen puppet master was cut of his strings and lying dead on the godforsaken ground, the last victim in his self-made theatre of tragedy. We'd had this conversation a million times, in different orders and spoken in different ways. But they were the same words. The same, bitter sentences belying the calm surface we strove to project. Shields fail and so do our defenses.

Usually at this the conversation stopped. However I was feeling bold tonight, a little self-righteous and PMSy. I wanted more of an answer, a reason, and a fucking REAL reason this time.

"Isn't it enough?" I began tentatively, steadily growing more confident. "I mean, you said so yourself, we haven't seen him for three years now since you last fought him. No trace, no trail. Maybe he's dead, maybe . . . maybe it's over." Dare to dream.

"Perhaps."

Damn it, he's a steel door. "Otosan," I persisted. Hearing the demand, he focused on me again. Undivided, I almost shrank away but held my ground admirably. _Say it, girl, say it. Finally and for all SAY THE WORDS!_

"I-I want . . . I want what's best for me," my voice faltered, "I never . . . this thing you want . . . I don't - it's not . . . " I took a deep breath, quaking. Goose pimples prickled my bare arms. None of this was coming out the way I wanted it to. "I run and I run and I don't know why I'm running anymore. Orochimaru doesn't know about me . . . and I just want . . . I just want to know where my next meal is going to come from. I want a place where I can walk in and turn the lights on. And if - And if you can't do that then le -" A sob rose in me. Could I say it? Could I rip out my own heart and expect him to do the same? "_Please_."

Okay. There. Said it. Unloaded three years worth of pent up frustration in one pathetic incoherent speech. Now what? I silently challenged my father. It's another "here I am deal with me" issue with your daughter. Good luck deciphering it.

There was a soft sound, silent footsteps and suddenly my father was sitting beside me. Childishly I squirmed away, averting my gaze and gritting my teeth hard behind closed lips. Nothing I did hid the standing tears and even if he couldn't see them, he knew they were there. I waited for the comforting hug I never got. My father was not an affectionate man; he did not know how to be a parent except when it came to training me and teaching me how to be self-sufficient. He knew nothing of girls and their emotions. At least, I thought he didn't.

"This is what you want."

Nodding, I bit my bottom lip. How ridiculous I must look to him, a normally cool, collected girl on the verge of a full on breakdown. How disappointed he must be. My face burned.

I tried hard not to flinch when he took my chin in his hand and bade me to look at him. What I saw astonished me. There was a resignation in his face I had never seen before. No need to say it. Both of my eyes widened. Stunned I was too speechless to move my tongue for a few seconds. I brushed at his hand absently and he lowered it.

He nodded slightly. "I should have done it a long time ago," he sounded a tinge guilty, a tone he would _never_ take if he were speaking to anyone else. "You do deserve better."

Hesitating, I sighed. "But. . . I want you to have it too." Forlornly I looked into my father's eyes. "If it means never seeing you again, then I don't think I want it. Parents are supposed to stay with their kids." _God, I sound so stupid!_ I admitted this to myself while closing my eyes and lowering my head to my hands.

"Katana." He waited for me. "I'm a missing nin. If I'm caught, then I will be killed. You know this."

Too well. "Yes."

"You also know that wherever you will live, because of the Sharingan, people will know who and what you are. You won't be able to hide it and I won't be there to protect you from it."

"Yes," I whispered.

Assured somewhat, Otosan seemed to go a little distance away while he spoke his next words, in another time and place. One I wished I could see.

It easily dawned on me, so clearly. I breathed. "You would leave me. But if people would know, they'd question me. What would I say?"

"The truth." My father exhaled through his nose. "You won't be punished. But I won't be able to see you." This caught my attention. "Perhaps never."

The insides of my body froze. Never seeing my father again. The thought was unthinkable. Unacceptable. Simply impossible, my brain refused it utterly, spitting it back out like nasty cold ramen. Torn, I leaned forward and rested my forehead on his arm. My father or a safe life: this is what I was being forced to choose and I couldn't have them both. This was messed up in so many ways I couldn't even begin to count. Could this be marked _not thought out enough _any more obviously? Kami, I could be so stupid sometimes. I felt him stroke my hair before he gathered it behind my shoulders so it wouldn't veil my face. Gradually I did something I rarely did - something he rarely allowed me. I slid both arms around him and held him for a moment before drawing away again.

"I don't know," I confessed at length. "I want a normal life. But _you_ can't have it. It's not an easy thing to decide. I'm not sure if it's even right." Half of my mouth turned upward in a humorless, rueful smirk. "Guess this would have been easier if I hadn't been born, huh?"

Never did I remember in my whole life my father looking as fierce as he did then. It was frightening. He gripped my arm, firm enough to hurt, not enough to injure. "Don't. You were not born when it was 'convenient' for me but that does not mean you were not wanted. Yes, it would be easier. I won't lie to you about that. But it's by no means your fault. I shouldn't have to tell you this."

No, he didn't. I was just a stupid girl letting herself be controlled by her emotions.

He let me go. For a moment, he seemed to fight himself. I could feel it lash like a venomous viper sitting right next to him. At length he put an arm around my shoulders and drew me in. I was surprised but I let him do it.

"You're going."

What? I drew away and stared at him hard. Right there, I sensed it, scenting it like blood in the water. "You've already thought about this haven't you? Even before I opened my mouth! You knew!" Accusation laced heatedly in my voice. Vehemently, I shook my head, fury rising with my voice. "No, no you can't just - !"

"Katana."

"It's not fair! Why'd you ask me if all you were going to do -"

Abruptly cutting me off and closing my mouth with the simple movement, my father stood and returned to his side of the room. "Get some sleep. We have a long way to go tomorrow." He spared me a glare that informed me under no uncertain terms that the matter was closed. Closed, stamped, and delivered. The rock dropped down the gorge and got swallowed by the river below.

Numbly I sank beneath the sheets, letting the anguish twist in my gut like a kunai. _You brought it on yourself, dobe,_ I thought using a word I'd heard my father use once. _You woke the beast and now you have to tame it. You can't put it back to sleep and you can't let it go. Even though you have to. Even though you don't want to._

Burrowing into the mattress, I squeezed my eyes shut, hot tears making the fabric pressing against my face damp. At times like this, I wanted to hate him. I wanted to _scream_ it to his face. I wanted to _make_ him see how everything inside hurt so much where getting up in the morning was the most heroic thing I did every day. I wanted to blame him for every single unfair thing in my life. I can't. I won't. He already knows and he hates himself for it. In his eyes, I see his wars and lost battles; the vengeful soul of a man who made all the wrong turns and made them willingly. To hate him would require too much of me. So I did what any daughter would do with such a father.

I loved him.


	2. Return to Normalcy

Author's Note: I don't know if women can use the Sharingan or even the Chidori. For the sake of creativity, let's pretend anyone who's a full-blooded Uchiha can do it. You may notice the tone is a lot lighter in this chapter. Things will pick up more as the story goes along. This chapter is basically to show the relationship between father and daughter.

"Perfection is only gained through . . . e-yah . . ."

I slipped off the thick branch, reaching up just in time to catch it, scraping my palms. Hauling my body back up, I swung one leg over it. A muffled grunt and an _oomph!_ punctuated my victory over gravity. Flipping upward neatly, my feet landed back on top of the tree limb. A light sheen of perspiration and a trickle of laughter escaped me as I realized how close I'd come to stupidly buying it. _All right, let's try this again, this time without plummeting to my death._ Practicing chakra control before High and Mighty caught up to me _and_ being able to quote aloud absurd bits of poetic drivel were the highlights of my solo super-early morning training.

Okay. I'll try a different mantra. Most of my mantras were just snatches of things I'd read, common words to the wise and nonsense I'd made up out of pure blue sky. Anything to keep me focused.

Hmm, let's try some Latin.

"_Carpe diem_," I muttered, closing one eye as my brain struggled with memory retrieval, "_quam_ _minimum credula . . . " - _waver, quiver - "Argh, crap, what's the last part?" I strained my memory and then my eyes popped open. "_Postero_!" Reorienting myself, I shut my eyes again and let my body fall forward until I was hanging upside down beneath the branch. A few stray hairs escaped my bun, falling to faintly tickle the back of my neck and nose. I bit both lips together and fought off the urge to sneeze.

"_Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero_," I recited, making mental note to use the Sharingan the next time I decided to leaf through my Latin handbook. I took one careful step forward, then another and another, continuing the recitation with each step. "Perfection is only gained through constant vigilance, to deviate is to invite madness, to allow madness to enter is to lose oneself." Kami help me for coming up with such cheesy self-motivational mantras. "I am the picture of control, poise, and grace. I am the very center of um . . . oh, er hi Papa."

Pink stained the edges of my cheeks when I opened my eyes and saw him standing in front of me, in the same upside down position. His arms were folded over his chest, head high, chin perfectly aligned and his stance flawless. Everything from the smooth, unreadable dullness of his depthless eyes to the blank canvas of his face stirred a churning amalgam of emotions in my gut, none of them particularly positive. Many nameless ones who have stood before this creature have died in unspeakable ways after falling under his gaze. Few could look back without instinctively sensing the deadly promise of a swift retribution for unforgivable actions against him and his own for that's what they all were to him: unforgivable.

I was young and cocky enough to think that there was a_ slight _chanceImightmakeit outalive_. Just play it cool._ Letting my countenance light up, I grinned sheepishly. "Nice day, ne?"

He regarded me severely. Silence.

Crap. I rolled my eyes. "Geez, what? Where the hell do you think I'd be?" My hands dropped mid-seal and automatically went to my hips (my ever widening hips). Unfortunately in my momentary frustration, my concentration broke. Before I knew it I was dangling precariously by one ankle, my father catching me without breaking a sweat. I squeaked and craned upward to grab the branch again, Otosan not letting go until I was upward facing again and no longer in danger of falling. Then he joined me.

Did I want it to be swift and painless or long and excruciating? With my father and his moods, one couldn't even begin to guess. Didn't mean I was looking forward to it in any way.

Sitting side by side, neither one of us deemed to speak. I began to hum idly the first soft bar of a made-up ditty before leaning back on my hands, tossing back my head. Such a beautiful morning! So many weeks of unrelenting dry heat had given way to a facsimile of Indian Summer, complemented by a cool breeze and the spicy scent of tree sap. The sun dappled through the leaves, leaving golden traces to dance upon the crunchy brownish gray remains of autumns past. My ephemeral awe of nature slipped by with butterfly touches, gracing the petals of the here and now in passing.

Peering at the brooding man beside me, I yawned, ending it with, "_Gomen_."

Otosan stared straight ahead, face unreadable.

An icy rock dropped, practically obliterating my peaceful reverie. Was what we talked about last night going to come up again? Despite the frightening reality of it, I desperately did not want to reexplore the issue with him so soon. Wanting to groan, I closed the body space between us and touched his shoulder with mine. "Papa," I began anxiously, waiting for his eyes to shift to me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I-I should have said something, I was wrong, I'm really, really sorry." I offered a tentative smile. "I hope you can forgive me." There! Saved it! I think?

My face fell. In the ridiculously gallant attempt to placate him I'd only earned a slight frown and the patented Uchiha Sasuke weirded-out grimace. Eventually he turned from profile and shocked me by lifting his hand and placing it on top of my head. He even smiled a little after he removed it.

A nervous jolt ran through my system. Wait . . . he wasn't mad? But why, he should be! I'd sneaked out like a delinquent teenager and hadn't told him anything and he didn't know. _He didn't know!_ A smirk stretched across my lips. Seizing upon it, I leapt up gleefully and pointed at him. "You suck! . . . No wait . . ." I peered at him suspiciously. "No way. I'm not that good yet. You _knew!_ You're just pretending to be mad. Argh!"

With a huff I dropped down again and crossed my arms over my almost flat torso. I sulked while a deep chuckle started somewhere in the back of my father's throat. To point, I hunched my shoulders and half-turned from him. Amused! He's actually amused! He makes me feel bad for sneaking out gets me to apologize with absolutely no effort at all and then he laughs at me! It was a joke with him, this, and I ought to know better by now. _Sadistic bastard._ It made me wonder who else might have been at the brunt of his cruel amusements without caving in to the homicidal urge to sock it to him.

He finished his bout with facetiousness and poked me. With Otosan you had to know your pokes. This one meant _Hey don't be like that. _Thinking on and realizing I was in better off enough shape without being pissy, I relaxed. No matter what it was, really, I found it virtually impossible to stay mad at him for long. When he could find a day to have a little fun, however at my expense, I cherished it. Living by ear taught me to appreciate the small things, my father's smiles being one of them. I wished I could cup them in my hands and breathe on them like tiny flames.

I could live forever on one of his smiles.

Rising to my feet, I retrieved my pack, bow and knapsack of arrows from where I'd left them dangling on another branch and returned. He was ready, as usual, just customarily waiting for lil ol' slowpoke Katana to catch up. From the now plainly distinct light scent of soap in the air, he'd showered before checking us out to chase after me. It did me good to know he trusted me not to get into anything foolish, that my missing for more than five minutes did not constitute the need to hit the panic button.

Things didn't always used to be like this. If I was going to be out of Otosan's sight for any amount of time, he wanted _length_ of disappearance, _place_ of disappearance and a spit-on-my-pinky promise to return written in blood on an ancient scroll of parchment. All right, the last part was exaggerated but it gave a clear picture of how so very damn _suffocating_ he used to be. Over the years he'd been easing off as he slowly woke up to the fact I was becoming a capable young woman, a decent ninja and didn't need to have my hand held all the time. The denouement arrived in style when I'd awakened the Sharingan four months ago during an intense confrontation with several hunter nins in Tea Country. The elation I felt must have been similar to what a Genin might have felt when graduating from the Academy. Can't say I missed it although there were times like what happened just now, I tried to pretend if only out of an uncertainty of my own independence.

"Do you have everything? The next town isn't until we cross the border."

Border? _Hold tongue, we have later_. I shouldered the arrows and bow, snapping the string for added flair - and to test its elasticity and tautness. "_Hai_." We took off, my father ahead, me slightly behind and to the right. I concentrated on the red and white fan on the back of his dark shirt, my invariable point of reference. As long as I saw the clan symbol, I knew where to follow. The Uchiha crest was my guiding light - if only the only one I could see.

My musings continued. Despite having no examples to set by outside of books, I supposed it was difficult for any father, the letting go thing. Though he'd be the last person to admit it, Otosan had enjoyed my childhood immensely, which definitely had to do with the fact his own was so fucked up. They say you can remember things from as old as age two, I don't know, maybe I'm special but I remembered a hell of a lot more than that.

They weren't much, just little memories, those seemingly insignificant bits and pieces of the every day. Like when I was eleven months old plopped down in an open heath watching my father practice his _taijutsu_, screaming and clapping my tiny hands excitedly because aw man daddy is so cool when he blows fire! Or at age five holding his hand while traveling across open country, pointing at everything and asking a million questions. His answers were curt and to the point but nonetheless always succeeded in pulling a silly smile out me and I'd giggle when he'd arch a graceful eyebrow at me.

However there is one I'll remember to my dying day and I didn't know why I remembered it so clearly. It had been raining torrential downpours, the kind that heated the air and soaked you to the skin. We were stuck inside some outcropping in the lee of a hill. Bored out of my three-year-old mind of trying to catch raindrops with my tongue, I'd scrunched at his side and pulled out an old children's book from his travel bag, the one he'd gotten from one of the towns we'd passed through that day. I could hear my still baby sounding voice asking. He said no. I whined and used the paltry defense of, "But you never read to me! Please, please?" A long silence before he scrutinized me uncomfortably, eye twitching and muttered with a slight flush, "Aa." Unbelievably happy, I threw my tiny arms around his neck before planting myself on his lap. He smiled when I did that and told me to sit still when I insisted on holding the book open.

Yes. I caught the next limb lightly and launched off. Between the horrors of running from hunter nins, bandits, being attacked, ambushed, stalked, tracking that Itachi and avoiding people when we could, life was good. Steady, if uneven. That's why last night shook me up. The stability had shifted, changed and it scared me. There was still time to restore it, time to think on it before it reared its ugly head. _Seriously,_ I thought pragmatically, _throwing it at the fan guarantees a mess and god speed to anyone who can put it back together again. Maybe I can hope against hope he'll forget about it but that's wishing for too much. Once Otosan pledges something will happen, it usually does._

Inwardly berating the foolish lack of foresight seeming to permeate most of everything I said and did, I almost crashed into Otosan when he paused on the limb of a wide oak. He caught my wrist and tugged me firmly, a subtle warning to be quiet. Obeying instantly and falling to a crouch when he did, I snatched a glance at his face, searching for any hint of disapproval but his attention was for something else and not on my clumsiness. The activation of his Sharingan in the next two blinks as he intently watched the forest floor below told me all I needed.

Doing the same, I looked ahead and focused, imagining the pupils swirling in the crimson as my father's was doing now. I copied jutsus and saw through most illusions okay. Learning to discern things about people's chakra, like how much, where it was being channeled, if the person was real, if the person was fake and every intimation given by body position and negligible facial twitch were still new to me. Otosan did his best training me to use it efficiently along with its inherent psychological advantages. So far I was starting to get the hang of it. Soon, I avowed I'd be able to see the world with two different sets of eyes and be as good as my father. It never occurred to me to want to surpass him although it was probably his secret wish for me to do so. It wasn't that I wasn't ambitious - if I felt I could surpass him then I would. I don't know. I just . . . I felt my heart lay somewhere off the beaten path of the ninja. But . . . I cut him a sidelong glance and squirmed inside restlessly. I couldn't tell him _that_ it'd only disappoint him. It was the last thing I wanted to do.

Huh. Perhaps I wanted this freedom because I didn't want to let him down . . . _Or let's just admit it. You're thinking of yourself for the first time and not _him_ for once. Is that so selfish of you? Or is it like he told me, that _he's _the one being selfish?_

Speaking of beaten paths . . . someone was coming. Strike that several _someones_ were coming. I counted five chakra signatures, two adults and three adolescents. They were at least ten to fifteen yards away, too far for them to sense us if we stayed perfectly still. One of the adults was a high level ninja. The other three, hmm, they were about the same as me. Genin? We'd know soon enough once they came within range for visual confirmation. Doing an eye-check to make certain the foliage was concealing us, I forced myself to take shallow breaths. I started reaching back behind me, fingertips barely brushing the white and red feathers of the arrows sticking out behind my shoulder.

_No,_ a pressure on my ribs said.

I froze, gave a tiny nod and let my arm down again. From my new perch, I settled for observing the travelers since this was what Otosan clearly meant for us to do. My thudding heart was quick to share its relief with the rest of my circulatory system. Combating innocent passer-by never quite sat well with me even if they were ninja, it didn't mean they deserved to be ambushed.

These passer-by were anything but oblivious. The adult ninja as he came into view I admit impressed me and it wasn't just his immense amount of chakra either. One look told me he was a Jounin - the uniform said it all - perhaps in his late twenties. It was somewhat difficult to tell from this distance. He had a shock of spiky yellow hair, bewhiskered cheeks and - wow - possibly the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen in a man. They were fierce and the innate animalistic nature seething in them spiked my adrenaline. In the back of my mind, a sniggering female voice hissed: _Awful cute. Never thought you'd be ogling a real hottie, ne? _

_Please shut up,_ I told it,_ you're distracting me. _

_You're no fun!_ it sneered_. No matter, I can wait, in another year or so you won't be able to ignore me. Hehe._

Sometimes I thought my own subconscious was out to get me.

The three Genin - most definitely Genin - were unremarkable. Two boys and a girl, all three of them appearing to be about the same age. One of the boys spoke to the Jounin animatedly while the other trailed along with his hands shoved in his pockets, more interested in the ground than in his surroundings. The girl spoke to the last traveler, a rather elderly looking fellow who walked with a cane. She seemed the most attentive of the group though she wasn't good enough to perceive us. I recognized none of them.

They each wore a Konoha forehead protector. Well, at least I knew where we were now or at least how close we were.

Deviating, I glanced at my father.

Catching sight of the man the moment I had, his eyes widened and then narrowed, his nostrils flaring with the slight deepening of breath. The muscles in his lower jaw tensed as he clenched his teeth together behind his grim countenance. His hands gripped the branch tighter, causing the wood to squeak. A kaleidoscope ran behind his eyes, a movie projector of unseen anamnesis and shrouded emotions. Hot, cold, black, white, in, out, on, off. For one fierce moment, he seemed ready to pounce. Suddenly he stilled.

At the same time, the blonde Jounin paused mid-stride and tilted his head. I knew it was my overactive imagination but I swear on a stack of scrolls he looked like a wolf catching the scent of the hare. Even from here, I could see those impossibly blue orbs moving from side to side.

I held my breath.

After a long, endless, agonizing moment the man shrugged and continued on. Faint drifts of conversation and laughter floated to us before fading off. We waited several minutes before deeming it safe to continue on and quite noticeably in a direction completely opposite to the little troupe.

Several minutes I let pass by, simply wordlessly following along. When the trees ended, giving way to more open country, we leapt to the ground. I stayed behind with my back to the trees, watching my father's as he moved ahead of me. Clasping my hands in front of me, twisting my fingers around one another, I cast my gaze to the ground, deactivating my ability before I looked up again, waiting.

Otosan moved to profile, his sharp, now onyx eyes catching me. Even in broad daylight with the backdrop of a wide expanse of sun-yellowed grass, he was a shadow. I sucked my lower lip, worrying at it briefly with my teeth. Should I . . .? Well, shoot, I was never going to get anywhere in life if I couldn't ask simple questions.

"Who was that?"

Otosan contemplated the high knolls.

Persistently, I approached. "Who is he? I've never seen you look at anyone like that before." Pregnant pause. "Is he dangerous?"

"Yes." So subdued he was, almost mournful. Like . . . like he was longing for something lost. For a while, it didn't seem like he intended on speaking further and I accepted that. I did not expect what he was to say next.

"He was my best friend."

Oh.

We continued on side by side. Periodically I checked on him, hoping against hope he'd add more on to the story. There _was_ a story here, a long one, and I hungered for it. My father's past between the time the clan was slaughtered and the time he left his home village (Konoha, I suspected now thanks to the almost-encounter; he'd never told me where he'd come from) was unknown to me. Oh, I'd _ask_ about it from time to time but he merely warned me off with a glare. Evidently they were memories he didn't want to talk about, either because they were painful or . . . or he thought whatever they were might wind up turning me against him.

_Trust goes so far, huh?_ I gave an inward sigh. Didn't he know me at all? Nothing, I firmly declared to my whole being, would turn me against him - not even if he was the one who was in the wrong. Sure, he scared me at times, especially when I witnessed how vicious and unmerciful he was with his enemies, however I knew Otosan would rather die than raise his hand to me. As was my way, when he said this, I teasingly added, "Course you wouldn't, it leaves your midsection unprotected!" Needless to say, he was not amused. Outwardly.

_Okay, it's too quiet. Time to be spontaneous._ I skipped ahead and performed a couple of perfect back flips, still keeping my thumbs under the shoulder straps of my pack. Luck had it the bow and arrows didn't dislodge themselves with the abrupt movement. Circling around my impassive parent, I grinned amiably and kept on, keeping the skip to my walk. The look on his face was priceless.

I pretended to be simply miffed at his endless detachment. "Papa, you need to lighten up, seriously. What's the point of living if you can't laugh once in a while?"

"There aren't many things that are funny."

"To _you_." I made a face at him. "And don't tell me you think it's funny when a whole bunch of bandits decide they think they're bad ass enough to take you on twice."

He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. Where Otosan got his warped sense of humor, I refused to guess at. "Okay, _maybe_ it was funny at first but really, you scared even me when you just laughed at them." I tapped my chin and slowed down a bit. "Heh, you've got to wonder how much is going on in their heads. I never went to school and I'm more educated than they are."

"Most of them probably never went to school either." Otosan scanned the long grasses around us, motioning for us to move to higher ground. Wading through head-high weeds even during midday wasn't the smartest thing for the idle traveler to do. In these times of thievery, you couldn't be too cautious. Many lowlifes were too _baka_ to formulate much else but to bulldoze the hapless traveler over still and all there were plenty of exceptions to the rule.

My leg chose to sting a faint reminder. _Yes, plenty of exceptions. _I thought again to the last skirmish. Even now I still mourned the loss of my doll, Kikyo. The thing had been made of sticks, cloths and grass. I'd carried around the pathetic thing since I was six. Yesterday it happened to fall out of my bag and was accidentally crushed forever under the ruthless boot of a bandit. Even Otosan, the dark Prince of Murder and Mayhem, thought my slashing the backs of the man's knees for the offense was a bit much. It was just a _doll_ it was about time I'd surrendered my childish attachment to it. To combat, I argued it wasn't the doll, it was the principle of the thing. Here was something I'd treasured and he'd taken it away from me. It only my right for me to revisit it upon the perpetrator. For some unexplainable reason he found that an acceptable argument and left it alone.

Otosan had been watching the play of expressions crossing my face and took the pick of things. "What is it?"

I shrugged and smiled weakly at him. "Nothing you'd care about."

He blinked. "I'm hurt. Of course I would care."

Never ceased to astound did he? I gazed at him in wonder. Truly he was a great ninja, able to keep me guessing and never allowing me to predict his next response. Over the years, it'd been a kind of game between us. Did it come naturally _I'd_ be the most predictable went without saying.

Still walking, I began pulling out the senbon needles keeping my hair up. All day long I did that, taking them out, putting them back in, taking them out again. It was a habit. But _this_ time I was doing it for a reason if the way my father was now walking was any kind of indication. His gait had changed only slightly but I noticed it. Careful, measured, wary and out of my peripheral vision I'd caught the barest whisper of the long grass on either side of us. Prime route: unavoidable. Us: the targets.

With my Sharingan I counted four people, two creeping at our flanks and the others waited up ahead to block any potential escape routes. Taking the needles between my fingers, I moved to an acceptable range before I crouched and leapt up into the air. In two seconds all four would-be attackers were lying out cold where they were, each with a needle in his neck, all still as yet unseen and now completely out of commission -- all done by the time I descended. I landed and glanced back at my father who hadn't moved from where he'd simply paused and rested his hands in his pockets.

Eyebrow flick. _Done?_

Wink. _Yes._

We fell into step once more.

"Are you going to tell me what it is that's bothering you or will the suspense kill me?" he began suddenly as if we hadn't almost been the victims of an ambush. If the danger never panned out, it was not worth discussing.

"Dunno. Guess."

"I'm a Sharingan user, not a mind reader."

I shut my mouth.

He refused to quit; Otosan would beat that dead horse deader if such a thing were possible. "_Katana_."

Damn, I hated it when he said my name like that! "Um, it's the school thing." There, _now_ guess the rest. I was getting mad and hoped he'd take the hint and leave me alone.

He did. There was a long silence. Nothing unbearable, just the usual. We climbed up a tall knoll. There was another forest coming up and from the rooftops further out, a few houses. All good signs civilization was on the up-and-coming. Otosan scanned the terrain, getting the full scope of things. "We're close," he announced frankly.

The question rose up and strangled in my throat. Close to what, I didn't want to hazard a guess. My head lowered some and I gave a tiny nod. Instinct told me what we were getting close to and why it was important that we were getting close to it. Urgency contorted in my gut, which I contained with considerable effort. I wanted to grab his arm and beg a thousand incoherencies, refraining because doing it wouldn't earn me anything but his contempt. Underlined and circled. Crying seemed a perfectly appealing reaction, yet I stifled it.

After some spell, we moved on again. Time continued its trek at our footsteps.

* * *

"Ne, Papa?" It was three days later and we were traveling alongside a rushing river that had huge rocks, making it easy to cross. Otosan remained on the shoreline while I expounded my twitchy energy leaping from rock to rock, gaining simple pleasure from the rather fun activity. Viewing it as a chance for me to practice my agility, he allowed me to indulge myself without reprimand. Otosan expected me to act like a grown up ninja. _I_ expected me to act my age and demonstrated this fact quite frequently, much to his continual dismay. _I'm a kid, get used to it._

At the sound of my voice, he looked up. "Aa."

Soon as I'd gained his attention, I paused atop a boulder. "Have you ever read _Of Mice and Men_? It's a foreign novel, maybe you haven't. That library you left me at some time ago in, um, that large town? When you had to earn us some money for supplies?"

"Aa."

"Well, they only had one translated copy and the last few pages were missing so I never found out how it ended. I've been looking for it ever since but it's not easy to find."

Otosan seemed to find this abrupt subject odd. However he decided to be a sport about it. "It sounds vaguely familiar. Did it have a character named Lenny who was obsessed with rabbits?"

"Yes. I'd gotten up to the part where Lenny accidentally killed that field hand's wife before it cut off." Eagerly I crouched down and peered at my father. "So did you read it?"

"Hn. It was required reading at the Academy," he replied indifferently. "Only a handful of students actually bothered to read it. I think I was eight then."

I sighed. "Did you?"

"Aa. It was worth two test grades."

Wow. Otosan reading a book that wasn't about jutsus, ninja weapons, hand seals or one hundred and fifty ways to hide a body. "And you read the _whole_ thing?" Okay, I deserved that weird look. "What happened? How did it end?" I pressed ardently.

My bright eyes made Otosan smile a little in return before he responded. "Lenny flees while the rest of the others search for him to avenge the death of Curley's wife. Luckily George finds Lenny first. He makes his friend sit in front of him and asks him to tell him about the rabbits again. While the man is talking, unknown to him, George is standing behind him with a gun."

"A gun?" I interrupted.

"A foreign weapon that uses gunpowder and bullets," my father elaborated. "You won't find any around here though."

"Oh." Whoa. I stared, utterly shocked. "So he killed him? He _killed_ his best friend?"

"To spare him a painful death at the hands of those who would probably torture him. George loved his friend. It was better this way." Otosan went inward again and it was as if he wasn't only talking about just the book anymore. "However in doing this, he lost more than his friend, he lost his dream. Lenny embodied everything the men had been working for even if it wasn't real. It was real to George because _Lenny_ believed it was and when he died, he took that dream with him."

I nodded. "Lenny had been what made George special because he was the only one who accepted him." A sigh escaped me and I shook my head, feeling a sort of genuine sorrow. I missed the startled widening of my father's eyes. "So sad. I hope I'm never put in that position, I don't think I could do it, even if it was the kindest thing to do."

I stood again and jumped down to walk beside him again. "Thank you." Otosan reached out to brush my cheek with his finger, causing me to smile. He didn't smile back but I was happy. Finally I'd found something I could share at eye-level with my father that didn't have to do with ninja training. Kind of like finding a dollar in your pocket you didn't know was there.

The river eventually ran over the edge of a cliff, crashing in a dull roar, casting a beautiful rainbow of droplets in the sun. Waterfalls were a favorite of mine and even now I still jumped for joy whenever we encountered them in our travels. While Otosan halted behind me, I gasped in utter delight. "Wow!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands together in front of me, turning around excitedly to face Otosan. "I'm going to get a better look!" Without waiting for his assent, I jumped ahead landing atop what I thought was a rocky ledge.

I squinted and craned my neck at funny angle.

It was a statue. And across the way, I took note, another one, which Otosan appeared on. He was frowning. "Katana, what did I tell you about running ahead?"

"To run fast enough so you can't catch up."

It succeeded in pulling a smirk from him. "Smart ass."

I grinned. "I learned from the best." I kicked at the rock. "So who are these guys? Gods?"

Otosan snorted at my sense of humor. "The First and the Second Hokages."

"Cool. The founders of Konoha." I thought. "So how many are there now? Or have been?"

"Five. The Fifth will be retiring soon. The last I heard they were still searching for a replacement." He mulled over with his next notion. "I have a good idea of who it's going to be."

"Hmm? Who?"

Instead of answering, he looked the area over and took note of the sun's position. "Let's keep going," he announced decisively, letting me know the topic and the previous one weren't up for discussion. His gaze flickered back to me. "Before we break for camp, we're going to train. Your _taijutsu_ and use of fire jutsus are adequate but your chakra control is far from perfect."

Sigh. There we go. There was _always_ an ulterior motive. If we were going to be in one place for more than a few seconds, by Kami we were going to make the most out of it. Training often and for hours on end was a favorite past time of his. His muted contempt for my being female only made him expect more out of me. Women naturally had less chakra reserves than men did so there were only so many of his techniques he could expect me to handle without keeling over. For instance, he was able to use his Chidori three times. At rare times four, Cursed Seal notwithstanding. With me just once and only if I really, really concentrated hard. The fact I could do it at all made him proud. Up until now I don't think that a woman has ever used it.

"Adequate." I repeated the word slowly, giving him a staid glower, letting the full ironic effect roll over us. "_Yamero_ or you're going to give me a swelled head." Annoyed, I began to make my way lightly down the rock face, ignoring his narrowed gaze tracking me all the way to the bottom. Sparing him no backward glances, I grumbled moodily.

Appearing next to me, as he was wont to do, all the warning I got was a partial smirk before he launched a kunai at me.

I simply sighed again. Here we go.

I met his kunai steel for steel with my own mid-flight, effectively canceling out each other's attack. Moving beyond the waterfall, we continued further down toward a tree line, moved through the canopy until we came to an open grassy area. Shedding my pack, I swiftly strung my bow, waiting for Otosan to appear. When he did I let the arrow fly, knowing full well he was going to avoid it, which he did instantly. Without hesitation, I allowed another one to fly, deliberately aiming to miss because this was a spar, not an actual combat situation. Both of us knew my aim was impeccable. If I missed, I missed on purpose. Not that I was cutting the old man any slack, ha, hell no. I gave him a fierce grin. Just didn't want to waste arrows. Kami, if he knew _that_ thought had run through my head -!

He caught the arrow singing by his ear spun it around his fingers and threw it back at me. My Katon assured its demise.

Mildly amused, I lowered my hand from my face. "Neat trick, did they teach you baton twirling at that Academy?"

Oh the darkness that clouded over his face then! A swell of victorious satisfaction rose in me. Over the years, I had discovered something very interesting about my father. For some reason, Otosan seemed to really take to a battle whenever I piqued him with mild taunts, often answered by him with equally puerile insults. There was a kind of change that came over him, like some other personality had emerged, a hidden self. I didn't even think he was aware of it, odd enough while it sounded. I couldn't altogether understand it, though like I always did with such advantages, I angled him into it by reflex.

"Hn. You call that a fire jutsu?" he returned.

"Well, hm," I rejoined slyly, not to be outdone. "Considering that _you_ were the one who taught it to me, what does that say about _your_ instructing abilities?"

We met in the middle and began engaging in _taijutsu_. None of my hits ever landed of course. I still had a long way to go to catch up to him. I took a couple in a few spots I dared not mention although my face showed each impact was going to leave me with bruises for the rest of the day. Neither of us exchanged a word, too focused on defense, offense, counter-offense, counter-defense to banter effectively. Several times I had to physically restrain myself from gaping in pure stupefaction. Otosan defied gravity with his graceful, unhurried performance, like he did the damn movements in his _sleep_. I admired and resented his abilities, reminding myself I was watching a body honed to perfection with twenty years worth of training under his belt. I had only six to call my own and while he told me I was extremely talented for my age, I despaired of _ever_ achieving _his_ level of mastery.

This is what it meant to be the pride of the Uchiha clan. Otosan certainly seemed to live up to it. I was willing to bet all those hunter nins who sought him probably thought the same thing when they read over their mission reports before commencing pursuit. Heh, why they even bothered trying to capture him anymore was beyond me. Not that I thought the man was invincible, far from it. I just thought it would have to take a truly exceptional ninja to bring him down. Only ever once did I see another ninja come close and that was when Otosan crossed paths with Itachi three years ago in a random, unplanned encounter that dug up too many unpleasant memories. One of them included Itachi discovering my hiding place and me. The way That Man had looked at me from my father and back again . . .

Dammit, girl, concentrate or you're going to_ wind up flat on your ass._

The back of my head hit solid ground. 

Otosan stood over me. He did not look happy.

My lips stretched into a wide grin. Don't ask me why I responded to imminent danger and death with a smile. It was a defense mechanism that continually puzzled the both of us.

"You have nothing to smile about," Otosan informed me severely. _Sure I do._ Through all the cuts and knocks to my noggin, I wrinkled my smarting nose at him and stuck out my tongue.

At my antics, he closed his eyes momentarily and shook his head, offering out a hand for me to grab. As he hauled me to my feet, he muttered, "Tell me again why I keep you around." Pause. "Don't answer that."

I giggled.

He brushed back a lock of my loose hair that had wound up on the wrong side of my head and smoothed it over. "You're not being serious."

Wasn't my father just the greatest? Not at all bothered by the cutting asseveration, I absently rubbed a bruise on my abdomen. "So why do you keep training me if you don't think I'm taking it seriously? . . . Phst," I spit out a hair, "don't look at me like that, I can 'read underneath the underneath' too." I sarcastically used a phrase he'd used on me once.

My father looked away. "I've learned even what one considers impossible can happen, that underestimating your opponent is the very thing that can even bring the strongest of ninjas down." He met with me again. "But that doesn't excuse what just happened now. Your performance was miserable."

_It's affecting my skills._ It was my turn to look away."Gomen. I guess, I just have a lot on my mind."

His features softened, although to anyone else it might have not looked like it. It was his eyes. The brittle hardness that usually made them difficult to fathom waned and the tightened lock of his grim set mouth relaxed. "Sort yourself out and we'll try again tomorrow," he declared more gently yet still dispassionate.

Okay. My face slackened of expression and I just nodded. I was feeling too dead tired from the long trek and sparring session to summon the energy to argue. Besides arguing never got me anywhere with Otosan, he had a tendency to clam up and not respond which kind of made it hard.

To break the tension, I recovered my bow and cache of arrows that had gotten tossed aside during the hand-to-hand combat. I felt like killing something. Preferably something furry, fast, small and commonly agreed to taste like chicken to most people.

Otosan perceived my intent and pointed through the trees down into a small crevasse where we'd passed by a stream. He'd be there. I nodded and we both took off in opposite directions.

Neither of us met again until the sun touched the top of the distant mountains.

A/N: Yes, I was being deliberate with Sasuke and Katana's discussion of the John Steinbeck classic. I thought it was a neat way to bring Katana's opinion on the circumstance without really knowing about the Valley of the End battle. "Course you wouldn't, it leaves your midsection unprotected!" is a reference to a quote by Robert Orben: "Never raise your hand to your children; it leaves your midsection unprotected." Katana is a bit of a bookworm.


	3. Goodbye and Hello

**Disclaimer**: _" 'If they catch you, they will kill you, but first they must catch you,' " is a paraphrase of what the rabbit's god Frith told El-ahrairah in Richard Adams' novel Watership Down. _

Archery was a skill that came very naturally to me. When you've lived out in the rustic countryside and on the backwater fringe of civilization for most of your life, going to the corner market for your meat wasn't exactly an option. Mother Nature is a generous creature but her criteria for providing such an abundance of sustenance came with several requirements. One of them being the age-old rule of thumb: "Become the hunter lest thee become the hunted." Survival of the fittest, the top rung of the evolutionary ladder, whatever you wanted to call it, my way of thinking, when it came down to a matter of life or death, my rules were simple:

When you don't know where your next meal is going to come from. When you might not get a chance to eat again for weeks. When you realize you just may be staring at the best last good chance for a satisfactory culinary experience, the intense desire to not miss that one crucial shot becomes euphoric. Everything in you is dependent on that arrow. I put my life into my aim and it didn't matter what it was. An enemy or my next meal: that arrow was going to hit the mark.

Needless to say, that rabbit never had a chance. Oh he _tried_, I had to grant the furry little trickster that; he was a wily opponent. It took me well over two hours to track down his white flag of a tail. Yet he couldn't keep darting around under bushes forever and eventually he learned when it came to speed, he lost out big time. Ninja rabbit he was not.

"Hn." I held up the carcass by its back legs and beheld my kill, the arrow still sticking through it. " 'If they catch you, they will kill you, but first they must catch you.' " I slung it over my shoulder, rolling my eyes. Otosan was probably right when he said all that reading had gone to my head.

I found my way back to the crevasse, finding it easily thanks to the light sound of the stream. Otosan was already there. He had a fire going already and a couple of fish on sticks sticking out of the ground, smoking them out for later consumption. He was sharpening a kunai; elbows loosely balanced atop his knees as he lazily performed the activity. I got a glance of acknowledgement when I arrived, although his movement never ceased. Besides the crackling of the fire and the constant scrape of metal against stone, everything was silent.

Quietly setting to the task, I sat down and started working on skinning the rabbit. This was my task: hunter and cook, and I took the responsibility for feeding the both of us seriously. Otosan trusted me implicitly with it and never complained (making him my number one favorite person to cook for - being he was the _only_ person I cooked for besides yours truly). Dusk fell before I finished with the task so it wasn't until the first few stars were winking that we were able to have our dinner.

We ate in silence. Unlike a lot of people, we were not a chatty pair. We didn't automatically get seized with urges to tell ghost stories, discuss the day's events, discuss the _next_ day's events, or throw around idle chitchat. Neither of us had ever done that and it was unlikely we ever would. Food was consumed with all of the solemnity of two people who understood the importance of every single bite. It wasn't until the smoked fish were packed away for tomorrow's journey, each of us settled into our nightly rituals.

I cleared my throat and yanked on the collar of my dress. _I need to change_. Understanding, Otosan turned around and stared off into another direction until I gave him the all clear.

Usually after the both of us attended to each of our needs, we turned in. Tonight though, as exhausted, as both of us must have been, neither one of us laid down right away. Otosan seemed lost in his own head, his stare vacant and totally inward. I ignored it and absently ran a comb over and over through my shiny, unbound hair, stroking the smooth locks and running my fingers through them. Next I poked the fire and tossed some extra kindling in it before pulling a blanket out of my pack and wrapping it around myself. Lying parallel to the ground, I propped my head up by my elbow, lying close to the fire as safely possible. The flames fascinated me in their heated dance. Feeling his gaze I raised mine, gradually. For a few seconds we just stared at each other. There was no putting it off now. I didn't want to be the one to start talking . . . but I knew it was my duty to bring it up and push it out there. I didn't know what to say, knew not where to begin. In the end I settled on what was true.

"It's tomorrow . . . isn't it."

"Aa."

I closed my eyes.

"Katana . . ." Otosan began softly.

"I know." I opened my eyes again. "No need for a recap."

"Everything I've ever sacrificed would be for nothing." The fire held his pale face, shadowed. A long time passed before he spoke again. "It won't . . . be easy," his eyes averted, "for me either."

Many minutes of silence elapsed. Eventually I sat up, holding the blanket about my shoulders with one hand. "Papa."

He looked up.

"Is killing Itachi more important than living your own life? I mean, what about _your_ dreams?" I was calm and collected, not demanding, merely inquiring. Of course my insides ripped up at the mere mention of That Man's name. My finger traced patterns in the dirt. I took a deep breath. "A man who kills his loved ones without remorse is no man at all." I glared at Otosan then, ignoring the intensity of his gaze bearing back.

My jaw clenched in stiff rage and I let the blanket slip off my shoulders and pool around me. I didn't think what I was saying would get through to him at all. Doubtless this version of Why Itachi Isn't Worth It wasn't new to him but damn it if he was going to travel the dark road without me he was going to hear what I had to say about it!

"I may not have any points of reference," I stayed steady, "but you're the most amazing person I've ever known. You're also the most stubborn. That you've waited for my sake . . . Papa, you're just pretending!"

"Pretending?" Oh yeah, he was pissed off. "Pretending what?"

"That this revenge of yours isn't as important as I am. I _should_ be more important. So what I don't understand is this . . . " I narrowed my eyes. "Why am I worth abandoning now? Were you just waiting for me to say 'Hey Otosan, I want to stay home' so you could go off guiltless because I said it of my own free will?"

Those weren't tears running down my face - they weren't! I palmed away the wetness and waved it all off. I couldn't help feeling like I'd lost an important battle simply because I couldn't get myself to say the right words. Why did everything I wanted to say to my father come out so half-assed? I didn't know what was worse, frankly. The turmoil was very new to me and I hated the things it was making me feel. Somewhere I managed to find a center of impassivity that enabled me to hold back the cry. Just like a good ninja.

My father watched me, opening his mouth to speak.

"Don't bother," I snapped in a voice that sounded like it belonged to someone else. "I don't want to hear it."

No one dared speak to the infamous Avenger the way I was doing now. All clenched fists and trembling, focused awareness, a tightly wrung wire wound and ready to spring and explode at the slightest touch. I didn't care and I wasn't afraid. I once told my father there were bigger, scarier things in the world and it was absolutely pointless for me to fear my own father.

That was why when his eyes lowered and then came back up, I understood that he understood. There was also a hidden inexplicability in them that I couldn't translate. Not bothering to read the thousands of messages in them - or waiting to hear them - I picked up the blanket around me and lay down with my back to the fire, to him. I closed my eyes and let my wearied brain attempt a body-wide cessation of consciousness.

"_Oyasuminasai kabocha_," he said quietly, from afar.

"Shu' up," I mumbled, drifting. "Don' call me that…_baka_."

I'm glad I missed the grin this time.

* * *

A kunai struck the ground next to my head. 

My eyes snapped open wide in alarm and immediately by reflex I rolled out of the way, pulling out two of my own, spinning them once around my fingers before gripping them for use. A rain of the knives came down following the precursor and I leapt neatly out of the way, changing positions from an awkward angle, half-rolling and half-flipping to my feet. Activating the Sharingan, I scanned the darkness. Most of the night had passed, the tickles of pink fingers of light reaching over the distant horizon, yet the sky was quickly fading to a gray that in a few more hours would give way to purest blue.

Otosan was already gone a blink ahead of me, shouting a warning to me that was short and informative: "Hunter nins!"

_Not again! God help us, anyone but these guys!_ I thought in unmitigated trepidation. My heart nearly seized. Rarely we had to deal with such a direct head-on assault - at least I hadn't - they usually attacked Otosan while he was off alone somewhere. If he went into territory likely to harbor an enemy beyond my skill level, he was more than perfectly willing to let me off to my own somewhere much safer and out of sight. The last encounter almost made me buy it…and I never again wanted to see my father's face look the way it did when I took a shuriken in the stomach and was slammed against a tree.

It would not happen again.

Feeling two coming at me, I think two anyway, there were so damned many of them, I leapt upwards as they aimed in low and blasted at them with my Katon. I wasn't naïve enough to believe such a basic jutsu would finish them off, I just needed a cover for my escape. In the back of my mind I worried for Otosan, however it was a very small worry. He was a big boy. As for me, despite the tempting challenge I wasn't stupid enough to take on any ninja especially trained to track and hunt down the asses of missing nins. These were trained professionals and I didn't want to die. So I did the smart thing. I fled.

Unfortunately these guys weren't about to let it happen. The trees were useless for maneuvering the way I wanted to, every branch seemed to have a cloaked figure perched there, ready and waiting for me. I faked a convincing movement, replaced it with a single Kage Bunshin (a move my father was quick to make me copy) and let the real me drop to the dark forest floor. I leaned forward on one knee in a runner's position, letting my crimson sight snake my surroundings, attentive as a cobra's hunt. My ears perceived the sound of a thousand birds chirping and I glimpsed somewhere three yards away an intense crackling of lightening energy moving at an impossible speed to slam right through one of the shrouded figures. One down.

Looks like Otosan is doing just fine.

I felt them coming after me again before I even heard or saw them. Swiftly I got to my feet and raced though the undergrowth as fast as I could. The shapes of trees shadowed around me and I dodged tree roots and branches along with throwing stars, kunai and shuriken. I found my bow somewhere through no mere action other than practically tripping over the thing. Finding the arrows a moment later, I leapt over the doused campfire, swinging the cache of arrows haphazardly. As I ran, I knocked an arrow, ran up the side of a tall almost perfectly straight tree. I halted abruptly and aimed down at the hunter nin behind me. Maybe he hadn't seen me grab my weapon or he didn't expect me to fire from such an awkward position. Whatever his error, my arrow pierced right through that white mask. In the dawn's early light, I could see the hairline cracks appear as the ninja fell back and vanished below. For a moment, I could see a swirled design in its center…it was the same etch I'd seen several days before on another group of people. "Che," I hissed in frustration. Naturally, who else would they be?

Behind me. No time to shoot.

Putting the bow around me, I feinted a back-kick to distract him and then back-flipped over his head to land behind him, still standing vertically on the tree's body. I released my foothold on the bark, pushed with both hands and let gravity help with the impact of my feet hitting the hunter nin on the back, which managed to loosen his footing. Ignoring his fall, I chucked a kunai attached to a wire at the tree across the way and swung to land on the furthermost branch. I landed and then let go. Crouched, scanned the waning darkness. I must have looked a sight with bright red eyes standing out like a cat poised for the kill. Slowly I rose to my feet, hands in loose fists, breathing hard. "Fucking hunter nins," I muttered angrily.

Another burst of chakra laced power accompanied by a powerful fire jutsu told me Otosan was nearby. He must have stayed with me the whole time on the peripheral fringes, defending and offending in a way only he could manage. _I hope he doesn't overdo it,_ I prayed fervently. _Kami help me if his Cursed Seal begins to act up, I don't know what to do to bring him out of it, it's like he's a whole other person when that happens._

Two nins appeared suddenly to my left and to my right and grabbed my arms. A third coming up behind me struck where my neck met my spine. If I hadn't ducked in the half fraction of a second when I did, the hit would have rendered me unconscious. It did succeed in dazing me enough for one to twist both arms behind my back while the other swiftly grasped my legs in a vice grip. They leapt away simultaneously and suddenly wire whipped around my body and drew all of my limbs together tightly, painfully. I screamed in rage and struggled with all of my might to get loose. When nothing worked, I screamed again as loud as I could.

"TASUKETE!"

Seconds later, I didn't know how this happened, there was inhumanly fast movement, bright light, the world went crazy topsy turvy and I was falling. Just before I would have hit the earth, someone caught me underneath his arm, landed in a crouch before launching off once again. Pretty dazed to say the least, I scrounged up enough awareness to realize it was my father who was carrying me.

"So troublesome," I heard him mutter as he ran. "Pay attention, _baka_, how many times do I have to tell you?"

"Gee, tell me again, to you it seems like I'm always forgetting things," I grumbled right back, yelping as he made a huge leap. The wire pinched my skin and constricted my ribs, making it hard to breathe let alone speak. "These guys are out of my league and aren't even _in_ yours. How can they even move in those stupid cloaks?"

I'm sure even though I didn't see it; it elicited a smirk out of my father.

"Hn." Otosan paused ever so briefly to cut off the wire, steadying my shoulders until I was able to stand on my own. Sharingan to Sharingan, he was perhaps two inches from my nose. "Are you hurt?"

"No." I waited, sensing he was about to tell me something important.

He checked over his shoulder and then looked back at me again, a pain in his eyes. "Run in the direction of that stream we camped next to, grab anything you need if you can. Keep following that and then you'll come to a ravine. You should see the lights of Konoha from there. Just go straight to the bottom and keep going in that direction."

Horrified, I tried to pull out of his grasp. "What?" I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing. We were going to part ways like _this_? _Now?_

"Don't 'what' me," he growled. "Do what I tell you."

"Papa, I don't think-!" Agonized, a million words failed me as I started to argue and tried to find something, anything to delay the inevitable. _I don't want things to end this way, I don't want to run away and not know if you're going to live through tonight and I don't want this to be the last time we'll ever see each other._

His grip intensified along with the pain now spreading from his eyes to his face. "Katana, please do this. I want you to have a life. _I want you to be happy_. I don't want you to end up like me with broken dreams and bonds and…and I want to be able to look at you again and know I got one thing right because you _are_ the only thing I got right."

Tears welled in my eyes. "Papa . . ."

My father checked again, let me go and spoke faster because the hunter nins were catching up. "No matter what you may hear about me, I want you to know I…."

"Papa, stop it," I murmured taking his face in my hands, effectively stopping whatever he'd been trying to say. "You're my father and I love you. I don't care what you did when you were twelve years old."

Letting him go I stepped back and smiled at him even as the ninja appeared and renewed their attack. He smiled back - a real smile - kissed me on the forehead and whispered something quickly before we parted ways. I turned and bolted into the coming dawn.

* * *

It wasn't until much later I was standing on a ledge, overlooking Konoha in the full glory of day, that the reality of our farewell hit me. I let my tears have full privileges this time. They were for the life I was leaving behind and it wasn't one I could say I regretted. I only hoped that someday that I would be able to share this new one with him too. 

Because, I believed as ever, kids should stay with their parents.

"Goodbye Papa," I murmured, looking back once and never again before gazing again upon Konoha. Otosan's village. The Uchiha clan's village - and now one of their members had finally made it home. She had a lot of cleaning up to do where that name was concerned but I was fairly certain she could do the job.

I smiled. "_Carpe diem_."

With the sun on my back and the wind in my hair, I started toward my future. Today was going to be a beautiful day.

* * *

In the beginning when I entered the village and was walking its streets, I was afraid someone would recognize me. Well, not _me_ specifically as an individual, duh. On the back of my navy blue dress the family crest screamed out for the entire world to see. Since I had nothing to cover it up with, I fanned out my loose black mane over it, which hid it from sight more or less. The first thing that I wanted to do before exploring and getting the lay of the land, was bathe, get something to eat and maybe purchase another dress. I had a bit of money on me so that wouldn't be a problem. I would need to get a job and in a village this large, it probably wouldn't be a problem. 

_Heh, except your references won't check out because you have none._ I decided to cross that bridge when I got to it. For now I wanted to get clean.

I found the women's baths after asking for directions. The establishment provided free soap, towels, shampoo and tampons so I was well off supply-wise. I guess I could count myself lucky this was such a large village that probably saw a lot of visitors from the outside. Nobody gave me a second glance. Left blissfully in my anonymity, I was able to relish the hot water and attend to my sanitary needs without having to tune my senses for any hostile intent. The other women laughed and talked amongst themselves, only giving me token glances at most.

So nice not having to hide.

When I finished bathing, I rose out of the onsen, wrapped a towel around myself, reentered the bathhouse and headed toward the cubbyhole in the wall where I'd stuffed my clothes. My pack and weapons hung below it on a hook. Pilfering my comb out, I walked to the other side of the room to the sink where a large mirror took up half of the wall. Two young women were already there, both wearing towels as well. One, a blue-eyed blonde, was applying make-up and the other one was blow drying her short hair. She stood out the most to me. I performed a double take. Her hair was a soft petal pink color. I stood beside her and began working on my hair, half-listening to the women speak to one another. From the corner of my eye, I could tell from the marks on their bodies, despite their demeanor, these two had seen some action. Well, no surprise, this was a village of ninjas it was only right to assume it was a common occupation.

I waited for a break in their conversation before summoning the courage to speak to the pink haired woman. "Excuse me," I said politely, smiling automatically when she looked at me, "may I please borrow your hair drier?"

"Sure." She raked her fingers through her hair and handed it over absently.

"Thank you."

After I'd finished with it, the blonde had already left while the pink haired woman stayed, probably waiting for me to relinquish her hair drier before leaving. While she wound the cord around it, I decided she was as good as any person to ask since communication was established.

"Do you know of a good place to eat that isn't too expensive?" I inquired, ever using those manners my father stressed that I use but not necessarily applying to him.

She touched her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. It depends on what you like. You like ramen?"

"It's okay."

"There's a ramen place I always eat at not too far from here called Ichiraku's. They have other kinds of food too if you don't like ramen." She smiled prettily. She had jade colored eyes. Her smile seemed to freeze for a second as she looked at my face, faltering slightly, almost in a sort of recognition. I wondered at that.

Nevertheless I smiled back. "Thank you." Then I went to get dressed while the woman stuffed away her own things. When she turned to glance at me again, I was putting on my bow, and this caused her to raise an eyebrow inquisitively. She had probably been wondering whom that had belonged to. I smiled again, gave her a little wave and turned to leave, my hair doing a neat little swish around. I missed the change in her expression, the way it paled and the way she stared at me with round eyes as I walked out.

Left alone, she covered her mouth with one hand and whispered in utter shock, "God…"

* * *

I found Ichiraku's easily enough. Immediately I decided I liked their menu. Not cheap and not ridiculously priced either. The proprietor was friendly as anything, commenting on how happy he was to see a new customer and how long it's been since he's seen such a pretty little thing like me. Unused to such flattery, I flushed faintly and focused on my bowl of chicken ramen, snapping my chopsticks and twirling the noodles, lifting it up and down. I earned an amused grin from the female cook when I made a slight sucking sound, which I returned a little chagrined. Heh, I guess I was always sort of a sloppy eater. 

Afterward I bought a red lollipop and then while I sucked on it, I took out the leather bound Journal I always carried with me and began making a list of supplies I needed potential plans of action concerning employment and at the times when I couldn't think of anything, doodled pictures of butterflies and flowers in the margins. Frustrated, I smacked the book shut, bid the owner farewell and took off.

Finding the closest clothes shop, I purchased another blue dress and decided to put a halt on spending anymore money for the present. As I walked the streets, I pondered my next dilemma: finding a place to live. I didn't have a problem sleeping outside but since I was in a town now, that probably wasn't a good idea. I definitely didn't fancy the idea of sleeping on a bench only to get robbed of everything I owned by the time that I woke the next morning.

_Not that I'd let such a stupid thing happen._ I smirked.

I passed by the famed Ninja Academy, recognizing it easily from the kanji above the doors and there I gave pause, simply gazing at it. _So this is the school my father had attended and where he'd learned how to be a ninja. _How many fond memories he must have carried? Did he _have_ any fond memories, I wonder? I chuckled at the thought of what it was must have been like. Given his good looks, I could only imagine how sought after he must have been by the other girls! Maybe he'd had a girlfriend?

Oh dear God!

I almost collapsed right there on the street with laughter. My emotionally unavailable Otosan having a _girlfriend_? I would sooner see a crack of light pierce the pits of hell! _Katana, you truly know how to crack yourself up. _Shaking my head, chuckling still, I kept on moving. Soon as I got myself together and established, I would try to enroll. Maybe I was too old to be an official ninja but I wanted to at least gain _some_ sort of rudimentary education.

_One step at a time,_ I told myself_. Let's see if you can survive in this place without letting such a thing as a bad reputation bog you down. Not to mention if you're recognized by any hunter nins who were after you last night._

I sighed. Too many dangerous elements to be considered, too many chances for trying to gain the life I wanted so badly to go wrong. It didn't seem fair. Why did I have to suffer? Euripides once wrote that the gods visited the sins of the fathers upon the children. The things Otosan and Itachi had done would reflect on me, no matter what I did as an individual? Was I hoping for too much? _Am I setting myself up to be punished unjustly for _their_ crimes?_

I clenched my teeth together, my black eyes hardening. It would be too easy to blame them for any injustices I might receive. I would not stoop so low as to finger point others for my suffering. That was not my ninja way.

Hours later, I was nearly exhausted from my explorations. Konoha was a bright, bustling place, full of life and friendly people. It seemed after almost twenty years of being nothing more than a name only to be found on an arrest warrant Uchiha seemed to be a forgotten clan. Well, perhaps not forgotten, but something looked upon with sorrow and pity. So much potential and so much promise wiped out in one tragic night and sullied by the betrayal of the last survivor who might have had a chance to make it rise from the ashes. These are the things I discovered in the public library when I (after changing dresses in a public restroom) asked for information on the clan. My cover story was I was doing a report for school and I was writing a paper on the Uchiha clan. The lady behind the desk was glad to help.

"What do you know about it?" I inquired casually, resting my hand on my palm, watching her look up sources on the library computer.

She shrugged, pushing her glasses up further on the bridge of her nose. The librarian was a kindly middle aged woman who looked like a mother. "What do I know, or what do I think?" she asked back.

"Both, if you don't mind."

She hemmed and hawed. "Not too much. I know Uchiha Sasuke is a missing nin although beyond that I don't know anything else. I don't know anything about the older brother outside of his massacring the clan." She exhaled nostalgically. "I remember that little Sasuke. He used to come in here with his mother. I was a teenager working a temp position then. Before the clan was killed he was such a sweet boy, always polite and excited. He had an adorable smile!" She smiled and laughed. "I remember all the aides used to tell him they wished they could take him home with them. Such a face he'd make!"

Utterly stoked, I was fascinated, leaning in, trying not to look too eager.

But the lady shook her head sorrowfully. "It saddens me to speak of it, any of it, even after for so long a time." She smiled suddenly and looked up at me from the computer screen. "Well, it looks like you're in luck, miss. Most of the buildings have been torn down to their foundations over time but the main estate of the head family is still standing."

I leaned over the counter until I was on my tippy-toes. "Can anyone go there?"

She nodded. "The building is condemned but the structure is sound. Usually when a clan dies out, the main estate is saved for preservation. I imagine this is what the real estate people had in mind. Were you planning to visit it?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Be careful, that side of town may be deserted but if something happened to you, it would be a long time before anyone knew about it," she warned.

Advice taken. I nodded and sat back on my heels. "It's all right. I'll take the best of care. Thank you for helping me."

Going back to the table where I'd been working, with the various books fanned open all around me, I began to take notes. Inwardly I groaned at the lack of solid information. Everything here was basic stuff: when the clan got started, what its Bloodline Limit was, some customs specific to the clan, a few choice individuals idolized into heroes (including some kid who died at my age named Obito), how they had founded Konoha's police department and of course the massacre. There was nothing about jutsus and how the family affairs were handled. Doing some side research out of curiosity, I bit my lip to contain a mutter of disappointment.

I had no right to the clan's inheritance. Bastard children born not out of marriage did not have a claim on the clan's holdings. I didn't care, of course, since being a noblewoman had never been a great ambition of mine. It was just disheartening to know that because of the circumstances of my birth, I wasn't an "official" Uchiha. No love of a man and a woman in a blessed union had brought _me_ into the world.

No, I grumbled sarcastically, I owed my existence to a broken condom and a bottle of alcohol.

_Whatever,_ I decided standing to close the books and stacking them neatly on the table. _Any Uchiha with the Bloodline Limit is better than anyone born out of a "legal" union who doesn't carry the gene, for that alone I have a game to the name._

"Hn." I pushed the chair in and strode out the doors of the library. I passed a man leaning against the wall reading a small book. He was wearing a Jounin uniform and covered in a black cloth mask that hid his entire face save the eye. Lazily he brought it up to glance at me before letting it drop again to the pages. I checked out the title.

Well. I blinked. He was a very brave man, to read such material in _public_. Unable to resist because the opening was there and it begged for it, I remarked. "You know, reading with one eye isn't good for you, it affects your depth perception." Immediately I realized the numerous connotations it must have dropped and gave myself an inner rebuke.

Yes, I do believe I deserved that stare.

Pretending not to notice, I shrugged and smiled girlishly, even adding an endearing tilt to my nod and kept on going. Kami help me, I couldn't help flirting, even if he was an older guy. Otosan was forever steering me away, often by both shoulders, an unreadable stillness to his features. "If you have time to flirt, you have time to train," had been a favorite mantra of his.

The man closed the book with an audible noise and vanished in the way of the ninja. I had no way of knowing or suspecting at the time that his being there at that particular time was no sort of odd coincidence.

* * *

Early evening found me standing before the Uchiha estate. Subsequently several misdirections and a couple of wrong turns later, I was finally able to locate the place. It stood out like a sore thumb, I couldn't figure out why so many people had had problems identifying its location. In the end I'd settled for perching atop the hospital water tower and scanning below. 

You could see that red and white fan a mile away.

"_Baka_, the lot of them," I muttered walking hesitantly under the arch, attentively keeping track of my surroundings. "Could it be any more freaking obvious?"

Stopping, I stood at the entrance to the awesomely sized home. The full gravity of the moment slammed into me, leaving me speechless and birthing a churning sensation in my gut. My eyes widened and my breathing quickened. I was here. I was….this was….

Thud. My pack fell to the ground. The bow and arrows followed it shortly.

"I-I can't believe I'm here," I murmured aloud, awed. "This . . . This is where my . . . where it happened. Where they all …. NO!" I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. "I can't think of it like that."

Leaving my things behind, I stepped onto the front roofed porch and remembered to remove my boots. Just because nobody lived here didn't mean I had to track mud in everywhere.

Feeling like I had to say something, just in case their spirits _were_ still hanging around, and not wanting to be an intruder, I touched a wooden beam.

"Hi," I said aloud awkwardly. "I'm Uchiha Katana. You've never met me and I've never met you. I hope you won't mind my being here. I may not be legit but I am Uchiha Sasuke's daughter. I guess it's better than nothing, right?" I let silence answer. "Anyway I promise I won't bring anymore shame down upon the family name. We'll probably never be the kind of clan we used to be but," steel entered my voice and my determination, "regardless I'm going to do you proud."

_

* * *

tasukete - Interjection for 'Help!'  
kobacha - pumpkin, used here as a term of endearment  
oyasuminasai - good night_


	4. Memories and Bad Days

It's been said it takes years of training for a ninja to be able to read into the subtle and pick up those teeny tiny details most normal human beings usually miss. Now I'm not talking about training your senses to suddenly perceive things that cannot be perceived (unless you've got a Bloodline Limit that transcends all of these). I mean, damn, you're a human being. Your senses remain about as sharp as they're going to be until either bad circumstance or old age robs you of them. No, I'm talking about taking what you've got and just using it more effectively, paying attention to what you normally don't pay attention to.

For instance, you walk into a room, put a soda can in the fridge and walk back out. An hour later, you come back in and open the fridge again. It seems like nothing has changed, the soda can is still there but - oh wait! What's this? - It's empty! But you could have sworn it was full when you left it there! It's in the same spot and everything. Now a ninja does this, the same thing you do and he'll know right away that his beverage was touched. How? Fingerprints on the condensation, maybe the logo is turned to the front or the side instead of the back, maybe it's slightly a few inches off center. Hell, if he's really anal, he'll have put a hair or something on it so he'll know what to look for, although I couldn't imagine anyone being that anal about a freaking can of soda. Well, except Otosan - I could _definitely_ see Otosan doing something like that - he's kind of a nut job anyway. Not that he'd drink soda; he hated sweets.

The long of the short of this seemingly idle and pointless comparison? I was being watched.

It was almost two weeks into living at the condemned estate I first began noticing that things weren't quite right. I'd go about town for supplies, hunting in the nearby forest or simply shopping for a job. Some ninja would be loitering around pretending to shop or read a book, talking to someone or performing some repetitive activity like sweeping the floor with a broom.

An expert at feigning total oblivion, I acted like I didn't notice a single thing. I even voluntarily forgot about my shadows in favor of concentrating on more important things. As long as they didn't try to accost me or instigate any kind of hostile confrontation, as far as I was concerned, they could do whatever the heck they wanted. In my mind it was totally logical and justified on their account: some little girl wandering around wearing the Uchiha family crest was going to attract attention from the likes of those who recognized it. It was going to arouse suspicion, distrust, fear. If they wanted to speak to me, they were going to have to approach me of their own volition and if they were nice about it, I'd do like my father told me: tell the truth. It was, after all, the safest lie.

That's why I refused to relinquish the clan symbol. I wasn't ashamed of being what I was and I wasn't going to hide it like some cowering abused mutt under a Dumpster. I'd inherited from my father his I-don't-give-a-crap-what-other-people-think attitude (for the most part), and if the way I walked with my head up and my stride confident and bouncy said anything, it said: I'm a Uchiha and proud of it so screw you. Heh, I supposed it was easy for me to say that, wasn't it? I wasn't on Konoha's Most Wanted list and I didn't have about half of Fire Country and some snake bastard wanting to fry or possess my ass. I was treading very _very_ dangerously here.

As if that's anything new to me!

Those were the least of my worries. For present I worried about what to do with the estate I'd decided to sequester in since it seemed not even the realtors cared about it. The place was intact but things had fallen into disrepair over the years. Most if not all the remaining furniture was missing (hmm, vandals most likely, I made a mental note to set traps around the perimeter). There was no electricity (easy problem to solve, I'd just use oil and candle lamps for light), some holes in the roof and creaky floorboards throughout most of the ground floor. Creaky floorboards would be a help rather than a hindrance, as they would alert me to any stupid intruders paying me home visits. The furniture, eh, really the one futon I found and washed thoroughly was all I needed (the pipes still worked, oddly). Since it was sweltering hot at night being that this was summer, I'd have plenty of time to save up for a proper blanket and there _was_ a fireplace.

The roof, I decided, I could fix. In our passages through the many scattered towns over the years, I'd had to accompany Otosan on some of his odd jobs. One of them frequently was roof repair (I usually spent most of the day giggling at all the women who fainted when they saw my father, see it gets hot working out under the sun all day and a sweaty shirt gets uncomfortable….) Lo and behold, I'd found some tools stowed away in various hiding places along with odd boxes filled with mementos, scrolls and various trinkets. Finding these things prompted a deeper inspection of the home and what I found astonished me, especially when out of sheer curiosity I'd torn up one of the floorboards and pried open the loose board on a wall.

There were boxes and boxes of stuff, people's clothes, albums, picture frames, more scrolls and even weapons! I'd done found buried treasure.

"Kami-sama," I breathed lifting the lid off of one of the boxes. I'd been sweeping and airing out the place after three or four days, scrubbing floors and contemplating the yard work and if I should start any. I was dressed in old clothes bought for barely a coin at the market and my hair was bound up in its usual knot at the top of my head, two locks of hair left to trail down the column of my neck and the sides of my face.

Eagerly, like a child at Christmas, I dragged the heavy box outside on the front porch so I'd have some light before plopping down Indian style. Reaching in, I gingerly lifted up a dusty photo album. I blew on it, immediately closing my eyes as a cloud kicked up. "Hmm, wonder what's in here?" I murmured and went, "Ohhhh!" when I read the kanji: Uchiha Family Album. Carefully I opened it gasping and then grumbling as a silverfish scurried away in surprise. Then I plunged in realizing this would be the first time I would see any other Uchihas.

Whoa. I did look like my grandmother.

My heart ached when I beheld the woman's lovely smiling face. She seemed the most open and cheerful of the bunch, my grandfather sporting forever a stern expression or a total lack thereof whatsoever. I recognized the little five or six year old boy that was in a lot of the photos as my father as right away. He was either trying to grab the camera or beaming from ear to ear like life was one big party and he was the birthday boy. He was often pictured with a dreadfully familiar older boy who never smiled, even when his little brother was hugging him around the neck from behind or attempting to give him a noogie. They were such a contrast. Sure, they were brothers, anyone could see right away they were related even if you hadn't known them. Same eyes, hair and shape of face. But where there was a light in the young boy, there was absolutely none to be found in the elder. In some pictures he even looked . . . resigned. Tired. Yet under the surface there had been a storm raging. A storm, I knew that he had not held in. Again I tried to bring myself to hate him but like always I didn't feel anything. Even after I'd met him three years ago, I hadn't felt any hatred then. There was no reason to feel it now.

Letting my eyes fall again to the photos, I was drawn again by the ones of my father. It was mostly out of disbelief I stared at them for as long as I did. This adorable little boy who smiled so openly and was shown embracing practically every family member was my cold, stoic and closed off father? My heart squeezed.

"Look what you did to him," I shifted my eyes to another photo of Itachi, shaking my head. "Your capacity is only measured by the good you do for others, you fucking moron."

Disgusted rather than angered, I closed the book and let my momentary frustration bleed from me. Now _that_ was what I should have said three years ago when I first met the bastard. Instead little ten-year-old me had stared up into two, emotionless coal black eyes (my father postulated he was so caught off guard that he momentarily disabled his Sharingan) smiled weakly and whispered, "Hello." I never told Otosan that for a moment, Itachi looked like he'd be thwarted, slapped in the face by a previously unknown revelation. But then he just stepped back into the battle and ignored me. Not worth killing and no threat to him. Thank God, I wanted no part of that bloody duel.

At the end, I was left to take care of my half-dead Otosan. Itachi regarded me once again while I sat by my father's unconscious form, wondering why someone could hurt my daddy so badly and not care. I could still remember how I'd glared up at him, just at chin level because Otosan told me not to look into his eyes.

"It is all right to hate me," he intoned. "It makes no difference in the end, as my foolish brother already knows."

"No," I recalled snapping back softly, calmly. "You're not even worth that. You're nothing to me."

He never said anything. Just turned and walked away.

The next day, I remembered, had been an uneasy quiet one. Otosan just sat around listlessly, his dulled eyes almost dead in the way they stared at nothing. I couldn't offer him any words of comfort and my heart told me he was miles from my reach. So I did the only thing that made sense to me. I just stayed with him, letting the silence have its reign, letting him have whatever it was he needed in that silence. At one point I got up to walk away, he caught my wrist and pulled me to sit beside him, eyes still staring at nothing. I stayed. It was all I could do, my tiny presence anchoring him.

What anchored him now?

I put the album aside and blinked away tears. _Dammit, stop thinking of the past_. Hard not to, since albums are what they are in that capacity. These had drawn out some rather unpleasant thoughts. Moving along.

Oh? What's this? I raised an eyebrow when my gaze fell into the box again. On top of a folded blue shirt was a picture frame lying face down. Curious, I picked it up and turned it over. My jaw dropped.

A masked man with his arms around three teenage kids leaped out at me. The young girl in the middle had pink hair and a silly happy expression on her face. The boy to her right was dressed in orange, (orange, damn, this kid wasn't going to be doing any undercover work) had spiky blonde hair, blue eyes and - I giggled - a funny scowl on his face. He was looking at the other dark haired equally scowling boy who was . . .

Wow, Otosan! I giggled even more. "Papa, whoever knew you were such a tacky dresser? Who wears arm warmers anymore?"

I decided I would keep the framed picture out for display. Its being framed like this obviously meant it had been of some importance to my father. I opened the frame to look at the back and found handwriting.

Team 7

Hatake Kakashi - ?  
Haruno Sakura - 12  
Uchiha Sasuke - 12  
Uzumaki Naruto - 12

Hmm, I guessed the numbers were their ages. My brow furrowed gently, staring at the picture for a few seconds longer. The masked man . . . he looked so familiar. It hit me. That guy in front of the library two weeks ago! This had to be him! Older now but yeah! And the orange clad kid, where had I seen him before? I tapped the side of my cheek.

Forest. That little group . . . hot blonde man with blue eyes . . . facial whiskers . . . "Shit," I hissed in shock. "This must be him!" Flipped it over again. "U-zu-maki Na-ru-to. Heh, he sure did a good job growing up."

And the girl. Pink hair, green eyes, kind of pretty. Maybe she was the woman I'd run into at the women's baths? They certainly looked close enough. Age changes women a lot more than it does men, especially in bodily aspects. This girl had hardly anything to her figure (like me, I despaired).

At the sheer strangeness of it all, I laughed aloud. What a weird coincidence! It was like some plot cliché out of a mystery novel. Three seemingly unconnected people popping up in different places and then a photograph is discovered with all of them in it! Too funny.

Putting the frame back together, I stood up and went back inside to place it on the mantel above the fireplace. Then I went back outside to inspect the clothes.

Drawing out the musty navy blue shirt, I fluffed it out and held it at arm's length for inspection, turning it one way and then another. Uchiha crest on back, wide collar . . . small size. Lowering it, I noticed for the first time on the side of the box was written: SASUKE'S STUFF in clumsy black handwriting.

"Damn, Papa, you were probably as skinny as I am. Well, that just means I'm normal." I made a mental note to wash the shirt and the accompanying white shorts. I could probably fit into some of his old clothes (forget those arm warmers, I would not be caught dead wearing such things). The others I decided against wearing. My father was alive the last time I saw him so I had no problem using anything of his. But everyone else's things like his parents' clothes I decided that I would burn. Dead peoples' clothes were not to be worn again and they had no resale value due to their having the family crest all over them. Everything else that belonged to my grandparents books, scrolls and various artifacts (my grandmother's journal was something I was definitely going to keep!) I put away again. I wasn't strong enough to sell them off and I didn't feel I had a right to.

You might think I was being totally insensitive in deciding to burn the clothes of dead relatives but I felt like I had to do it for their sake. Dead was dead . . . and nothing was going to change that. Otosan had been unable to accept his loved ones' deaths because he felt they should not have died. It would be saying good bye in a way my father never could.

Deciding that I could peruse everything else later, I put the boxes back into their hiding place in the wall and replaced the wallboard. After that I changed back into my regular clothes, let down my hair and strapped on my thigh holster, sweeping the fabric of my dress over it neatly.

Time to look for a job.

* * *

Meanwhile in another part of town a twenty-seven year old pink haired woman was having a bad day. That in it of itself wasn't unusual; working the midnight shift at the hospital usually induced the usual amount of insomnia, resulting in the consumption of too many cups of various caffeine-laced beverages. At Ichiraku's she stared into her soup, wondering if there was a way to consume it through smell alone. She was too tired to lift the chopsticks and was afraid if her fingers ceased their clutch hold on her head that she would wind up facedown between the noodles. And because she was too tired, she'd probably drown in the gravy, an undignified end to the second most powerful mednin in Konoha. 

_At what point,_ she thought_, did I lose complete control of my life?_ She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Whatever great god above was getting a kick out of her predicament she wanted to have a little word with - and then she wanted to kick his ass. That and rewind her life back to the moment of conception and warn her parents that giving birth to her would cause their daughter to die lying between a two pieces of miso later on this unspecified date of Monday . . . It was Monday, wasn't it? Tuesday? Or maybe it was still Sunday and like an idiot she had come in to work on her day off. Would just be her kind of luck too.

"ANO SA! SAKURA-CHAN!"

Oh shit. She gave an inner groan. Perfect. Just wonderful, crank it up about a hundred more decibels Naruto, I think my hypersensitive ears didn't quite hear you! Why he felt the need to shout at her when she was sitting right next to him was beyond her. Just because he was a Jounin with three Genins under his tutelage didn't change the blonde's annoying habits one bit. It did inordinately please her he still always lit up when he saw her. He once told her she was his favorite person in the whole wide world, barring none. Who was she to discourage him?

"_Konnichiwa_, Naruto," she removed one hand from her heavy skull, unthreading the hairs from around her fingers and gave him a limp wave. A yawn escaped between the two words.

The bright blue eyed man plopped next to her, ordered his usual and spun on her. Noticing like him, she was still wearing her work uniform and the weariness in her posture he frowned. "Sakura-chan, are you okay? You look like, well, crap."

"Thank you," she grumbled. "Just what I needed to hear on such a shitty day."

Uzumaki Naruto's bright face fell and his posture slumped slightly. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to make you feel so bad. You work the grave yard shift again, I take it?"

She pointed at him and nodded tiredly.

"That _is_ crap. Too bad you're the head nurse, huh?" Deciding he was doing a terrible job of the cheering up thing and from the look on her face, talking about her job was the last thing she wanted to do. So he changed the subject. "Anyway so I just got back last night with the kids. They did a real good job on this mission," he grinned. "They've got the teamwork thing down pat. No arguing, no competing, nobody in love with each other." He made a face. "They're _so_ boring."

Haruno Sakura lifted her head and laughed, rubbing her eyes. He grinned again, giving himself an inner pat on the back.

"Naruto, honestly, not every team always has those kinds of bonds." Sakura sat up straight and found the strength to eat her now lukewarm soup. "Your team is everything a _sensei_ dreams of having so they don't have to go to bed worrying about which one will get himself killed tomorrow because one of them was being an idiot."

"Yeah, I know that." The fox boy made a face. "So I've been super and all. Has Tsunade . . .?"

"_Naruto_." Sakura glared at him and spoke through her teeth. "I swear to Kami if you ask me that question one more time I will punch you so hard you'll have to drag your body into next week."

"Aww. Just one little-"

"No."

"Has she even said-"

"Naruto, shu-"

"Why won't you drop me any hints? I mean, you talk to the old lady all the time you must have heard at least- OW!"

Sakura caught his nose between her two chopsticks and yanked him forward hard. He had to grab onto the counter to keep from falling off his seat.

She made sure his blue eyes were watching hers. "You gonna shut up?"

"Will you let my nose go?"

"Depends on your answer."

He whined. "Sakura-chaaaan! It hurts!"

The woman sighed and gave his nose a twist before releasing him. "I swear, you'll never grow up. I dread for those poor kids' future." However she smiled at him gently and patted him on the shoulder before picking up her soup bowl and downing it to the last drop. Naruto watched her with that same soft-eyed look he'd been favoring her with since they were kids before diving blissfully into his ramen. He didn't catch her quickly glancing at him and then away in near melancholy.

She could swear that sometimes it was like he had forgotten about it. It would have been perfectly fine with her too however . . . there was no forgetting about it, for several reasons. But they'd learned to adjust to it and not act weird about it, even though she knew they were both lying to themselves and each other on some level. It wasn't like they could take it back after all. Not that she wanted to.

" . . . no, I'm sorry, but not right now. If you come back in another week, we might have something."

"All right. I will. Thanks anyway."

The end of the faint conversation was coming from the place next door to Ichiraku's. Sakura glanced up casually. A young girl with black hair that had dark bluish highlights in it was exiting the shop. She was carrying a plain leather purse that bumped at her hip and she was wearing a navy blue dress that strongly complemented the raven tresses, most of which was gathered in a bun atop her head. Two locks of it framed her pale, narrow face although closer inspection revealed she had spent some time in the sun recently. When she looked up to scan the marketplace, her narrow onyx eyes reminded Sakura like those of a hawk, studying for potential threats. She was very pretty in a dangerous sort of way and at her young age that was saying something.

Sakura stared at her and knew her instantly. She could not forget that day at the bathhouse. No matter how hard she had tried to pass off what she had suspected and had seen as the result of one too many medicinal vapors too many. Those eyes that had been too familiar, those eyes that had long ago burned themselves into her memory for they were what had first caught her. And that . . . it was impossible, it had been too fast. Maybe, she convinced herself eventually, she'd just seen a flash of red and white and drawn the wrong conclusion. She waited for the girl to pass behind them before looking after her discreetly.

There was no mistaking it.

Sakura's hand drifted up and fell on Naruto's shoulder. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, urgency robbing her of speech. Forcing it, she managed to get out his name.

"What?" he swallowed his last mouthful, frowning. He noticed the shocked expression on her face. "Sakura-chan? You feeling all right? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I feel like I'm looking at one. Look behind you, hurry."

Naruto did and scanned the crowd for a while. "What am I looking for?"

Sakura tried not to hit him. "There's a little girl standing in front of that house wares shop window staring at the pots and pans." She took great care not to turn around too completely and not to point either. "See her?"

"The one in the blue dress? Yeah, I see her. What about her?"

"Just watch."

The girl turned away from the profile position she had been facing to remove a pebble from her sandal. When she straightened up again, the red and white fan stood out against the blue like a flashing alarm siren. She glanced over her shoulder, distracted by two children running by chasing each other. One brushed up against her, causing her eyes to narrow even more and annoyance to crawl across her face ever so briefly.

Because she looked this way at that particular moment, standing like that; the way those dark locks framed her face, her expression in that mixture of emotions and most of all that crest displayed on her back for all the world to see, Naruto knew her. He knew who she was the way he had once known who _he_ had been. Who he had thought had been. So many years ago, so many painful things he wanted to forget. And he had thought for a long time that he had save for a whisper of feeling here, a strange pang there. Now it was screaming all back to him simply because here was a little girl standing under the light of midday in the bustling streets of Konoha wearing _his_ face like it was hers to own. He couldn't help clenching his fists, though he hid them under the counter.

Why this and why now. Those were two questions he knew there could be no answers to. No easy ones anyway. Part of him wanted to shrug her off like a cruel bad dream but Sakura-chan was the one who had seen her first so unless this was some kind of _folie a deux _he was not dreaming. The other part wanted to run after the girl, grab her and scream how _dare_ she look like _him_ when there _was_ no him, when _he_ had in the eyes of so many ceased to exist.

It's too fucking unfair! I was supposed to go on and forget about you and for so many years I thought I had, why do you have to be here, standing here, and strike down that forgetfulness like it wasn't even there! What gives you the right to do that to us?

"Naruto?" Her touch brought him back from the cacophony of madness his mind had swirled into. "Naruto, she left. You're staring at nothing."

He blinked slowly, coming out of his daze. Gradually he met the jade eyes of his former teammate, letting her see everything in his own. He blurted the first words that came to mind. "What should we do?"

Sakura stared at the countertop, a bit miffed he was asking for her input when she herself was still trying to pick up the scattered pieces of her own thoughts. Seeing the girl had done shattered her insides, pouring salt on a tiny wound that had never fully healed. No girl ever forgot her first love, unrequited though as this one had been. He had wounded her so deeply so early in her life he wound up destroying her preconceptions on the nature of love. Even now she wasn't sure how things might have gone, if he had stayed, if he had reciprocated her feelings, before breaking her heart later and becoming only the first in a long string of tried-and-trues. But because of this, Sakura began viewing love as something abstract and fleeting. Something not to last and always destined to fade with time, as her namesake did when the petals fell. Naruto, she knew, did not share this belief. It never failed to sear him whenever she showed just how much she believed it, if her train wreck of failed relationships was any kind of evidence.

"I don't know," she admitted honestly. "I saw her two weeks ago at the bathhouse. I didn't pay her mind other than lending her my hair drier and telling her where a good place to eat was when she asked me. It's after she had gotten dressed and was leaving when I saw what was on the back of her clothes. And then it hit me where I'd seen her face before . . ."

Suddenly Naruto and Sakura's eyes met. Both knew the other had been thinking the exact same thing.

"We can't let this one be," Naruto advised, indicating with a glance over his shoulder in the general direction the girl had vanished in. "We need to investigate without letting on we're doing anything. Obviously neither one of us can do it - our duties prevent it."

"True." Sakura rested her chin on her knuckles. "Should we tell Tsunade-sama?"

"She probably already knows," Naruto reasoned. For a moment, he let his face harden into that expression that outwardly indicated deep thought but what she knew was totally false. He brightened and smacked his fist into his palm. "I got it," he said confidently. "I know the perfect person for the job."

The mednin sighed and lowered her head. "Oh Naruto _no_ . . ."

"Come on. He'll be out of everyone's hair."

"That's _not_ the point."

"Then why not?" he said in an accusatory tone.

"Because I think it's a bad idea," she insisted.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, you say that about all my ideas." He made a face at her. "Look, you got to learn to trust him. He's got promise - like I did!" Naruto puffed out his chest, deflating when Sakura poked him in the ribs.

"Well," she amended thoughtfully. "He was feeling really badly that he didn't get put on a team this year and besides," she steeled angrily, "I'm sick of hearing him complain about it."

He grinned his Naruto grin and held up a hand to the cook for another bowl. "Told ya! Trust me, if anyone can fake it, he can." The Jounin trailed off when he realized how suggestive he had sounded and wished Sakura would punch him for it. "Um . . . I didn't mean it . . . oh no."

She did and topped it off graciously by calling him a pervert and how dare he use that in same sentence when referring to a kid. Naruto apologized profusely and beseeched her forgiveness. Sakura merely grumbled, slid off the stool and bid him farewell for the day. He waved after her gaily and turned back to his ramen. He did not see her look back for a briefly, run her fingertips up and down her wrist anxiously, hesitantly opening and closing her mouth before finally moving on.

* * *

Okay, I'm ready to scream now. 

Entering the vicinity of the estate, I was verbally cursing up a storm even though most of it was muttered under my breath. Nobody ever accused me of being a lady and only ever except in public did I strain my patience to the absolute limits. I was acutely aware when it came to things that annoyed me, I acted no better than my father did - if only because I'd had no other examples to set by.

Thirteen places I'd asked. _Thirteen_. Not one of them was looking for help.

Unable to take the rage coursing through me, I slammed my purse on the front steps and sat down, cupping my chin in my hands and resting my elbows on my knees. Fuming in stillness did nothing to help it and I was instantly on my feet once again. Grabbing up the purse again, I entered the house, flung it across the room and stood right in the middle of the living room, opening and closing my hands several times. I needed an outlet - bad.

Well, it was coming up on seven 'o clock. The public training grounds were usually empty by this time of the night. I'd have them to myself, which was what I needed precisely. Kicking the crap out of an innocent piece of lumber seemed a satisfactory way of venting my anger. Plus it was constructive.

Packing what necessary weaponry I needed on my person, I sneaked out to the closest common grounds. I kept to the shadows because I didn't want any ill-intentioned characters deciding I was easy-pickings and make me waste valuable energy wasting their pathetic asses. Being able to beat up non-ninja was no source of pride for me. Nor should it be.

Already by the time I got there, I was starting to feel better. The night was crisp yet warm, with a light breeze not like the past several weeks of sweltering god awful dry heat with stagnant air. Maybe we were finally going to be getting some rain soon? That would be a refreshing change. I liked the rain; hot summer showers were so soothing, kind of like being reborn in a way. Yeah, as you could imagine, Otosan never quite wrapped his brain around that one when I'd shared those thoughts with him.

Inhaling deeply, I grinned fiercely as I approached the large piece of cracked, worn lumber. It had seen many assaults and been the victim of countless training exercises. Time to see and become another.

You're being watched again.

I didn't pause or falter in my routine. Whoever he or she was, they were across the way up in a tree and remaining absolutely still. Probably the same person who'd shadowed me home . . . yep, my Sharingan confirmed it, sure was. Whatever. I shrugged.

After working my way through my movements, I let my back hit the training log and allowed it to scrape as I sank down, panting heavily. I was exhausted but my anger was gone, which had been the entire point.

I'll have better luck next time.

Right. Been saying that for two weeks, how much longer before it starts to get old?

Something will come along for me. I know it.

Yeah right. You can't even get into the Academy because you don't have a sponsor. Pity that your talent is going to waste. Get used to biting that dust girl, this is how it's gonna be.

Shut up.

Ha. I win again.

See what I meant about my subconscious being out to get me? Or had a demon come and taken up a squatter's position inside me while I wasn't looking? Oh hell, who'd know?

Standing once again, slowly, I placed one hand on the log to balance myself and to help me straighten. Stepping away, I considered what else should I do while I was out here.

Hmm. There was enough room . . . and the trees were a good enough distance away. Why the hell not.

Moving away from the log, I made the proper hand seals and inhaled, leaning back slightly.

The night lit up. It was probably the biggest one I'd ever produced. Wiping the gray off my lips, I smiled at my handiwork. Good, maybe the next time when it matters, I'll be able to do another one just like it.

I blew out of my mouth contentedly and stretched my arms luxuriously over my head, a smile stretching across my lips. Time for a little tai chi.

* * *

He knew he shouldn't have come out here on his own. If his dad found out he had decided to do a night surveillance in addition to the one he'd been asked to do during the day he'd probably get mad and then later secretly praise him for 'thinking outside the box.' The person he could see ironing his ass out to dry would most definitely be his mother. Though nice most of the time, she could be a real bitch when she wanted to be. 

But hey, they don't need to know, do they? He thought with a smart-ass grin stretching across his face. It's not like this was a boring assignment anyway this was kind of fun! And the subject she was very pretty. In fact, she was probably the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Weird, he thought, I usually don't like girls - so annoying and girly and stuff. Even kunoichi girls were weird like that.

Come to think of it, he thought while he watching the girl who was now doing an odd, slow series of movements with her eyes closed (tai chi? he guessed), why isn't she a Genin if she's this good? She doesn't even go to the Academy, I wonder why? Probably because she had no sponsor, but that shouldn't have prevented her. Even orphans had sponsors. Oh well, if that was the case, it made sense why she was desperately seeking employment. Maybe she wanted to save up and sponsor herself. That would make sense.

Oh well. None of his business.

She finished her exercise with hands in the prayer position at her chest and opened her eyes. She stared straight ahead for a long time before she turned her head . . .

. . . and looked directly at where he was hidden. Her eyes blazed a bright crimson with whirling black pupils.

He didn't move. She couldn't have possibly seen him. And why did her eyes change that weird color?

"Hey," her voice was crystal clear in the night, clipped and calm. "You up in the tree. Tell them I will no longer put up with this harassment. If you want me, come and get me and we'll talk. If I am still followed after this night, I will hunt you down and I will not be kind. I shoot to kill."

"And I never miss."

The girl turned sharply and vanished into the night, leaving the one who had watched her shell-shocked and stunned. It was several moments before he could regain his composure enough to race off to do her bidding.

It _was_ always the pretty ones.


	5. Repairs and Interrogations

Morning found me ruminating on the Uchiha property's rooftop. This was something I should have done right away when I'd first moved in but I'd wanted to find a job first. Since _that_ two-week project hadn't panned out for success, I decided to refocus again on the house.

I alternated between walking and crawling in my inspection of the wear and tear. As well as tallying up the amount of holes, I tested some of the more worrisome areas, often just stretching out one leg and pushing down gently with my foot. Parts that appeared intact showed themselves to be structurally unsound due to; I squinted more carefully, a termite infestation. One good violent thunderstorm and I could kiss goodbye to the kitchen roof.

__

Shit. Patching holes is one thing. Replacing an entire roof? I'm going to need to hire contractors for that! Not to mention exterminators!

Smacking my forehead, I groaned aloud. Where was I going to get the money? I barely managed to feed myself from day to day let alone pay for house repairs! Ah, yes, the woes of one Uchiha Katana.

Sitting on the edge of the chimney, I swung over placing one foot on each side before squatting down to look inside. I scowled. Yeah, that was going to be need cleaning as well, though not by much. Thank goodness the thing hadn't seen a fire in years. Mostly just old ash, dust and, ew, spiders. Lots of spiders in this place. Since I hated spiders with a passion, of course, it was just my crappy luck. Not a day went by I wouldn't be sent shrieking before flattening and squishing one of the pesky critters beneath my sandal or whatever "weapon" I had handy at the moment.

I shuddered. I was remembering that big fat brown eight-legged heathen that jumped out at me two days ago when I was fluffing out my blanket. I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night after that. I know it's so stupid. I can stare at someone like Itachi and not be afraid but I can't stand up to a spider, something that I easily had thousands of ounces worth of advantage over. I really could be pathetic.

__

Hmm, add to list of goals: conquer arachnophobia.

Putting my feet back together, I hopped off the edge, back onto the roof and then to the ground once again to grab up the tools I would need. Maybe I couldn't do the full-scale reconstruction the estate needed but I could do short term repairs and maintenance. I wasn't totally hopeless! I'm a ninja, I could think on the fly.

__

Think on the fly. Hmm, you sure weren't doing that last night were you Miss Impulsive?

Sighing, I shook my head, kneeling carefully over a hole. " 'I will hunt you down,' 'I shoot to kill.' Tch! Geez, could that threat have been any lamer?" I positioned a nail and started hammering, still muttering. "Katana, girl, you really need to work on your intimidation techniques. Still . . . " A wide and wicked smile stretched across my face. "Sure made that little bastard run!"

_Ha, I can use this,_ I thought villainously Maybe there was some truth to those 'you evil bitch!' insults bandits frequently threw at me - and believe considering what I usually did to them, you'd agree with them. That was actually one of the nicer ones. Once a thief made the mistake of calling me (quite inaccurately) a 'little ninja whore skank' which I admit was bravely creative on his part. Calamitously for him he said it in front of my father. I don't need to tell you how he reacted.

Ah well. Hammering away.

Merrily, I patched holes all the way to mid afternoon. Despite the heat and the head rushes I kept getting every time I stood up, the activity was very enjoyable. The sense that I was accomplishing something, doing something for _myself_, _on my own_, without needing _help_, was the sweetest feeling I'd ever experienced. I even found myself singing at times.

Near the end of the day, after three breaks for eat and drink, I was finished. Finished not as in the repairs but finished as in Kami-help-me-if-I-patch-one-more-hole-I'm-gonna-fall-over-dead. Lying limp and spread eagle in the cool shade across the floor of the front porch, I stared up at the ceiling. Because I was tired, I didn't sense the chakra signatures of the four masked ANBU standing around me, looking down. They weren't standing too close, lest I leap up and maybe score a lucky hit somewhere vital.

Without moving a muscle except for the ones around my eyes, I lazily took in the shapes peering down at me. Wolf, tiger, bear, horse. Cute. Feigning total nonchalance despite the butterfly nervousness making my blood race, I yawned.

Joints aching, I pushed myself up slowly into a sitting position, almost laughing when I felt them tense slightly, waiting for me to lash out and do something equally ninja-like. Blinking sleepily at them I covered another yawn and stood, using two fingertips to massage my lower back.

They took a few steps back, giving me a wider berth, watching me carefully as I went through the casual motions of dusting off, straightening my clothes and hair. My seeming lack of concern for my safety put them on guard. Confidence, while not always equal to a superior opponent, was a sure sign of strength. Smart ninja learned to respect it, no matter if it turned out false. You just can never know.

One of them suddenly procured a katana and swiftly brought it close to my throat. Reacting instinctively, I back flipped off the porch over their heads and out into the grounds, two kunai out, Sharingan ablaze. Some dust was kicked up from my boots.

Carefully I examined my surroundings. They were everywhere, not just the four of them. I counted eight at least. No, I didn't like this. _Man, I hate it when the odds are stacked against me!_ I straightened up slowly from my battle stance, reluctantly. _Ah well, let's look at the upside to this. Least they feel they need that many to deal with me._ Emboldened, I smirked. Made me feel honored but really, the Uchiha reputation was scary enough to cause such an overreaction. It made sense.

One by one each appeared from different directions, closing in on me in a complete circle to cut off any chance of my bolting. Why were they advancing on me with weapons drawn? Oh. Right.

I gave a small smile, spun the kunai once, dangling from my fingers before letting them drop with twin clanks on the ground and relaxed. Then I raised my fingers and interlocked them behind my head. Staying perfectly still, I watched one female ANBU approach and kick the kunai out of reach (they were retrieved by another). One male approached and almost started to frisk me. Hell. No. I took a sharp step back and shook my head firmly, my face hard and resolute. I didn't care if it was necessary; I was not going to let a strange man touch me!

The female who'd kicked aside my weapons, motioned to the other to back off. I let out my breath. Thank Kami for women's empathy. Be it friend or foe, we communicated in the same silent language. Wordlessly she proceeded to perform the pat down instead, which I readily obliged by remaining harmlessly immobile. The only time she spoke was: "Your dress?" I nodded and dipped my head down to indicate she had permission. I didn't care the other male ninja might be getting some kick out of watching a woman reach under another's dress. She pulled out three throwing stars, five senbon needles and one kunai.

"Nine," murmured the female ANBU in an impressed undertone reserved only for my ears. "I can't even fit that many under my dress."

I smiled shyly and gave a slight shrug.

"All right," she announced more loudly, stepping away. "She's disarmed. Let's go."

Fear knifed me. "I'm not under arrest, am I?"

"That remains to be seen," was the succinct answer, which was no answer at all.

I narrowed my eyes. Damn that ninja honed ambiguity! Living with it doesn't automatically make you an expert at deciphering the underhanded speaking of those of superior intellect or who simply had a knack for mind screwing. It only makes you used to it. I rolled my eyes in mannered tolerance and allowed myself to be led away. This wasn't what I'd wanted when I asked to be approached openly but honestly, what was I expecting, the Konoha Welcome Wagon? From this, I'd done freaked them out with my declaration of killing intent from last night.

__

Geez, the spy must have lived a soft life if he or she actually thought little tiny old me could be stupid enough to kill someone in the middle of a densely populated village and expect to get away with it!

Not that I had the stomach. Aside from the rare occasion where I was backed into a corner and had no other choice, I refused to kill anyone. Otosan taught me this, driving the point home several times until he was sure I understood him. When I protested, "But you don't even follow your own principles, how can you expect me to follow them?" He'd just replied: "Do as I say, not as I do. You're the better person." I told you he wasn't a very imaginative man.

But being myself I made the best of my situation. Unable to totally navigate me around areas with people going about their daily lives, several villagers were treated to the sight of a young raven-haired girl being escorted by ANBU through town. Kicking up the perplexity factor, anyone I caught the gaze of, I smiled and even waved at. Hi, I'm just taking a walk with eight deadly ninja who know ten different ways to break my neck but isn't it a beautiful day?

Oh yeah. I was insane. My cheer was a front. If I was going to show any kind of emotion, it was going to be a positive one. _Never show fear_.

The tremor in my knees _does not_ count.

* * *

So they wanted to interrogate me.

To make sure I behaved like a good little girl, my wrists were bound before me with chakra and they sequestered me solo in a small white room with no windows, one door, a one-way glass window, one table and one chair. I was made to sit in this chair, bound hands atop the table (bolted to the floor to prevent its being used for a potential weapon, I guessed). I sat there for perhaps fifteen uncomfortable minutes gazing at the walls. Feeling fidgety, I kicked my legs back and forth.

_Well, let's get the show on the road,_ I thought irritated at the long wait._ Got things to do places to be._

Finally when I thought I couldn't take the sitting-and-waiting-forever thing any longer, the door opened and someone entered. It was an older man, probably around the masked man's age, wearing a trench coat. He was probably bald from the way his forehead protector covered the entire top of his head. There were numerous scars on his face as well as every exposed portion of his skin. His hard features, no nonsense gaze and grim set mouth told me under no uncertain terms he was a hard ass who was the best at what he did and had paid for it in full many times. Otosan told me there were just some people you didn't fuck with and this man appeared to be one of them.

Suddenly I felt very, very small.

My eyes widened when he deemed to approach me and I began shaking imperceptibly. His hands had been behind him when he'd entered came to the front. In one gloved hand he had a recorder which he placed on the table before me. Curbing the adrenaline spiking in me, I bit the insides of my cheeks and lips.

__

Uh-oh, I don't like where this is going.

My gaze went from the thing to his face and back again. I instinctively shrank my shoulders together when his ruthless façade did not alter. Everything in me told me I was in deep shit. Everything in me hinted that from here on out, my anonymous occupation in Konoha was no longer going to continue.

__

Good God, don't pee your pants. You're not afraid, you're just experiencing a momentary failure of control over your nervous system. Okay, lame reassurance, registering a 10.9 on your inner Bullshit Meter. Want to try for 11?

I wished my brain would shut up.

"With your permission," he spoke in authoritative tones that you did not ignore unless you maybe wanted to die painfully, "we would like to record this conversation."

Exhaling I forced the tension in me out. How lovely the illusion of choice was. Give me a freaking break. "Do what you want," I murmured. "I got nothing to hide." Nerving myself, I brought my gaze up to meet his.

He did not smile. "Good."

Oh yes. Deep right in there and on the way to the fan, I was a dead girl.

* * *

"It's almost scary."

"What?"

"The resemblance."

"_Hai_."

…….

"This should have been done more discreetly."

"I agree, unfortunately, we couldn't avoid everyone walking through town. Besides she was being cooperative, it wasn't that big a risk."

"I keep wondering about that. How long do you think she's known about the surveillance?"

"For a while, looks like."

"Makes you wonder what else she's been aware of."

The two ANBU members walking side by side in the building where the interrogation was being held removed their masks. One was a brown haired woman, pretty as a picture, fierce as the tiger mask she bore. She had been the one who had disarmed the unwilling girl. She tucked an escaped strand of her bound mussed hair behind her ear and rubbed the back of her neck.

The man she'd been talking to wearing the wolf mask removed his as well. In direct contrast to his shorter female companion, he was tall, stoic, powerful - pretty much everything an ANBU was supposed to be. His most unusual feature were his eyes, which were silver-white and pupilless. They gave him the impression of being soulless and heartless; certainly one might have thought so from his blank expression, curt ways and imperious regard whenever he swept a room with a glance. Only his former teammate knew who he was since she had the advantage of having known him for almost a decade.

"That was quite a stunt," the woman began dryly, "you pulled back there with the sword. Orders were to confirm her identity but I hadn't expected you to do that."

His face did not change. "The Sharingan reacts to stress. It's frequent in the younger ones who haven't mastered control over it yet."

"So you assumed she didn't?" She sounded a bit miffed.

"It wasn't an assumption."

"Care to elaborate?"

"No."

She smiled and just accepted that for her answer. Whatever his reasons were, they were sound and logical. Good-naturedly, she patted his arm in casual affection. "Well, we're done here, right? Want to grab a few with me?"

"Tenten, you don't drink."

"I know but a mutual friend of ours does. He asked me to accompany him tonight."

"So why is my presence required?"

"It's Lee."

"Oh." Pause. "All right. What time?"

"In an hour." They reached the doors to the outside and put their masks back on. They were about to depart when the sun decided to come up in the middle of the night. The two ANBU gave inner groans and prepared to deal with the ensuring fiery chaos barreling toward them. He hadn't changed since they first met him as children, time had just molded him into a larger version of himself - although he was a force to be reckoned with, a fact both shinobi standing on the front steps were well aware of.

"NEJI!"

The wolf ANBU growled. He wasn't supposed to reveal their identities! "Keep it down, baka."

Naruto skidded to a halt, panting. "Sorry, wasn't thinking." He took a deep breath. "I heard - saw- what was going on so I came."

"It's nothing for you to be concerned with," Neji told him. "The girl is already in custody. Really," he eyed the other through the eyeholes of his mask, his tone changing to slightly teasing, "you didn't have to come all the way out here."

Sheepish and not afraid to show it, Naruto grinned. "Yeah, but I had to."

Neji made sure the other understood something. "He isn't here, Naruto. We're not sure if she's even related to him."

Puzzled, Tenten frowned and glanced at Neji. "Shouldn't she be? I thought the whole Uchiha clan was killed off except for Sasuke and Itachi."

Shrug. "Hell if I know for sure. Does anyone?" He said this looking at Naruto. "Ibiki is talking to the girl now."

Naruto's grin became slightly wicked as he read the message in his friend's statement. He wasn't going to stop him from becoming involved - not if it had anything remotely to do with Sasuke. A bond had formed between the two men since the failed mission to rescue Sasuke when they were twelve. It was one that occasionally made one side-step or look the other way while the other did things that were not exactly one hundred percent by the book. Tenten understood this and just shook her head. The two clearly couldn't stand each other but did all this unspoken stuff like they were the best of buds. Men and their weird love/hate relationships with each other!

Naruto saluted him with two fingers and rushed past him. The two ANBU departed for the night.

* * *

In the beginning the questions were routine.

"What is your name?"

"Uchiha Katana." I said my name to the table's surface. I felt the man walk around me and back to the front, using his presence to keep me on track. I couldn't stop my fingers from twisting around each other.

"Where do you live?" he asked after a pause.

"In the, um, condemned Uchiha property on the other side of town."

"Why?"

"Because, um, I can't afford to live anywhere else. I don't have a job and, uh, I'm alone."

"You weren't alone two weeks ago."

"No."

He moved on. "Before you came here, you were ambushed by eight hunter ninja. Do you know why they attacked you?" He was baiting me, I realized. He knew the answers, all the answers. This wasn't an interrogation; this was a test to confirm their suspicions.

"We were in Konoha territory."

"Yes. But that's not the reason." He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward to look at me. "Why did they ambush you, Katana? Why would hunter nins be attacking you?"

I took a deep breath. "I was with Uchiha Sasuke, a missing nin and a category S-class criminal. He's a wanted man."

He stood up straight, satisfied. "What is your relationship to Uchiha?"

"He's my father."

There was a long pause after that so long I looked up at him curiously. He was watching me carefully. Suddenly ice struck me in the gut. Dreading what this silence must mean, I kept my face neutral and emotions in check. "He's dead?" My heart was pounding.

"Not that we're aware of. Reports by the surviving members of the party confirm he was injured very badly before he was able to escape."

I clamped down on my lower lip and fought back panic, anger and tears. A feeling of helpless rage over whelmed me for a moment, making my eyes shift colors briefly. He's not dead, I said over and over to myself. _Papa's been in worse straits, he's not dead, he's not dead._

"Why were you in Konoha?" Ah, so he was finally cutting to the chase. I guess he figured out I was able to reply to direct questions, unlike most other people who needed to be pussy-footed around. Not me, I was raised to read the bottom line.

"He was bringing me here."

"For what reason?" He was being _very_ direct.

"To live. He wanted me to have better than what I had. I'm still not sure myself but I'm making the best of it." The crappy best of it.

"Best how?"

"By living here. I wanted to have a home . . . and I guess Otosan thought this was the best place for me to make one. I don't know." Kami, I felt sick. It was my nerves.

"Why didn't he come with you?"

I gazed mournfully up at him. "It's obvious, isn't it?" I wasn't talking about his being a criminal either. "He's afraid. He still . . . there's something he has to do and, I guess . . . he just needs to do it." I shut my eyes tightly and was unable to stop two tears from running down my cheeks. "I'm not your enemy. I just want to live here and earn my way even if I have to do it alone. I'm not a spy. I'm not out to betray anyone or kill anyone. I just . . . I want to stay here."

He digested that and let me calm down. "You were traveling with an S-class criminal. Why would you think we would not punish you?"

Oh, yes, he was definitely playing the bait. I stared straight ahead. "No one apprehended me. I'm not a Leaf shinobi nor am I officially a shinobi therefore I have no loyalties to here or anywhere else. As for my choosing to travel with an S-class criminal, that is a stupid question. I stayed with him because he's my father." I glared at him. "If being a loyal daughter is considered a crime, then I'm guilty as charged."

He regarded me again in that silent manner of his and gave himself a tiny nod. Finally he reached over, shut off the recorder and picked it up. Stepping backward, he opened the door and stepped outside. I heard him speak faintly to someone.

"What are _you_ doing here? . . . Never mind I'm glad you are. Keep an eye on the girl. I need to speak to Tsunade-sama."

A Jounin was ushered in, much to my surprise, and he closed the door behind him. When he turned to regard me, both of our eyes widened. Mine in shocked recognition and him, just in simple surprise.

He recovered amiably enough and set to leaning against the wall next to the door, arms folded over his vest. His piercing blue eyes held me in their bottomless depths, drowning me. The phrase 'If you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes into you,' skittered across my mind fleetingly. I felt stripped of all my defenses trapped in the line of his sight. I was more laid bare before my insecurities than I'd ever been in the more dire moments of my life when I wasn't sure I would live. Would I die now, I could not imagine, for I would not leave from this encounter unchanged.

My mind cleared, as this all transpired so quickly it left me nearly breathless. So this was he. The man my father said was his best friend. Said was dangerous. Up close he was amazing to behold. What could I say to this person? I hadn't realized until now I'd sequestered him as a pure icon in my mind - someone whom I could never imagine what I would say to if I ever did speak with him.

He spoke.

"So you're a Uchiha."

_What am I, some kind of rare species of animal? Look Mommy, a Uchiha, can I pet it?_ I shrugged. "Been one my whole life." Pause. "You going to interrogate me too?"

"No."

"Good." Eyeing him shrewdly, I added, "You really were a short fellow when you were kid. Such bad taste in clothes too."

He visibly stiffened. Clearly he had not expected me to say that.

I smiled, wondering why I was choosing mockery as way of first impression. The man awed me but yet this is what I had to say to him? There was something in me that instinctively recognized how to dispel awkward situations, though no wonder, I'd been doing it for years with my father. Since I possessed the means of familiarity on my side, it made the task so much easier. "Yes. I found the picture. I know you knew my father."

He narrowed his eyes. No, it was not a pleasant memory for him. That explained my father's uneasiness; the two hadn't parted on polite terms. While my father exhibited regret, this one showed anger. It was an old anger, brought to life now by my presence. I was sorry to be such a specter for his pain.

"You found where I hid his stuff."

"It wasn't hard."

Silence. Maybe this wasn't going to go as well as I'd hoped.

The Jounin changed the subject. "So the bastard is still alive . . . um . . . " He appeared embarrassed now, catching himself. "No offense."

I shrugged.

He straightened up and scratched the back of his head. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto... but I guess you already know that."

I nodded, watching him curiously. "I'm Katana."

"Katana," he repeated, grasping at straws, trying to find some balance. "He name you or your mother name you?"

"He did. My mother, um, I don't have one."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not. She tried to kill me."

_Well,_ we both thought_, this conversation is going splendidly._

"She tried to kill me because I was 'special,'" I answered the question he was too polite to ask. For his comfort, I didn't add my mother had also been in the business of snapping on the latex at the appropriate intervals. "Nobody likes special people." I grinned wide, covering up the tightness in my throat.

"That's true," he muttered under his breath to himself. Looking back up at me, he just stared at me for a long time, in near wonder. I raised an eyebrow in askance. He smiled easily and laughed. "Sorry. I feel like I've gone back in time or something. You, eh heh, look really similar."

"Thank you." Really, I didn't know what else to say. I guess it was a compliment? "But I really _am_ a girl."

He laughed, sounding surprised. I didn't know how close to home I'd hit, however, I saw from a certain point of view how it could be funny. Finally able to calm down, he peered at me. "You look older than I would have thought if Sasuke had a kid."

"I'm twelve. My father was sixteen when I was born."

Boy, those baby blues went wide. "No shit?"

"No shit."

Naruto kind of looked to the side, internally bewildered and then chuckled heartily.

"What?"

He waved it away. "It's nothing. Adult stuff."

Sticking my lip out in a pout, I sniffed. So the hair goes back up and the gloves go back on. This was a first time for me, the whole censorship-because-I-was-a-kid thing. Otosan made no secret to me about how the rest of world worked, when it worked right and when it worked wrong and all the hiccups in between. So when he said adult stuff, my mind naturally knew it had something to do with sex. And I didn't need any Icha Icha Paradise to tell me otherwise.

I lifted my bound hands and dropped them again on the table's surface with a thump. Pursing my lips together, I blew out air noisily. Damn, it was boring in here.

"So, uh," the Jounin began again awkwardly. "How's he doing?"

"I have no idea. The last time I saw him he was fighting hunter nins. For all I know, he could be dead right now."

Naruto frowned. "You don't sound too concerned."

"I am. Just not showing it."

"Humph." He didn't sound like he believed me. Folding his arms, he leaned against the wall again. Viewing me from a head tilt, he watched me from afar. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure of how to treat you."

"You shouldn't. We've just met." Another grin tickled my upper lip. "Actually I've seen _you_ before."

He blinked twice, wide-eyed. "When was this?"

"Bout two weeks ago, en route here." I decided he didn't need to know about my hormonal reaction to my first sight of him. That's the kind of stuff you keep to yourself. No twelve-year-old girl has any business telling a twentysomething year old man that! "You were with three kids and some elderly fellow."

"Was I?"

"Yup." I grinned. "Bet that explains a couple of things, huh?"

It certainly did if Naruto's expression was any indicator. He eyed me critically. "You're very open," he mused. "Not like what I would have expected." _From someone raised by Sasuke, _was the rest of the unspoken sentence.

I made a quick face. "Sorry. I'm not tormented by revenge and I don't have homicidal urges to off my kin. Seriously." My body slouched wearily. "I know relatives are supposed to embarrass you but this is ridiculous." I opened one eye and regarded him guilefully.

He fought back laughter. "Heh, there's one way of looking it."

Two beats. "If I ever get out of here, I'd like to talk more with you. I mean," I stammered, "if you don't mind." _Tsk tsk,_ nattered my evil self, _letting me have the driver's seat again, eh?_

Oh shut up and die.

Make me.

The man shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't mind at all." I could tell he was very pleased. "Woulda happened anyway."

We were both grinning. This Uzumaki Naruto was so easy to talk to any initial irritation I might have felt faded away. It was replaced by this weird kind of glow, like I'd made my first real friend. I'd never had any friends before. The feeling was very new to me and I liked it.

A tap on the door startled us.

"Time to leave."

"Oh. Okay." I hid my disappointment. "It was nice meeting you…. Naruto. Can I call you that?"

His grin was wide. "Sure, so long as it's not immediately followed by dobe." The shinobi waved at me, I raised both hands in same and then he was gone.

* * *

__

Disclaimer: Lyrics are from "Come Cover Me" by Nightwish. Quote is by Frederich Nietzsche.


	6. Hokages and Fox Hunts

It was a tidy few hours before I was finally allowed to return home. The man who had questioned me returned and without preamble told me they were finished with me and I could leave.

"The Hokage would like an audience with you tomorrow," he added on escorting me outside. "If you don't arrive before noon you will be sent for. Another public spectacle won't endear you to her, so I advise that you keep that in mind should you decide not to come."

Contrite - and suitably cowed for he was a _very_ big man - I nodded wordlessly. Garnering unwanted negative attention would be contradictory to my aims for the future. No, they didn't have to worry about a damn thing from me. Deciding it wouldn't hurt I bowed respectfully, took two steps backward before vanishing into the darkness.

I think I just about ran the whole way home.

It felt good, to run. Running when you've got someplace to be, I realized, was a lot better than running to get away from something. That's what my running was about, being somewhere. It was a strange little epiphany.

When I finally stumbled to my futon, my body was demanding to be put to bed and like the good owner of this mortal vessel, I gladly collapsed in a pile of askew arms and legs. I didn't bother caring where neither my head landed nor about the blanket that was only pulled up half-heartedly around my legs.

* * *

He groaned and shoved his head beneath his pillow. Morning shafts of sunlight shot across the room as his blinds were snapped open, falling on shadowed bars across his bedspread. Silently he begged his body to go back to sleep. 

"Come on lazy," the dreaded lilting voice of his mother came along with a slap to his upturned rear. "Get up. I let you sleep in today against my better judgment."

"Don't need your charity," he grumbled pressing the pillow more tightly over his head when she tried to pry it from his grasp. "Go 'way."

The sheets were torn off him, revealing a short twelve year old boy in his boxer shorts that had embarrassing pictures of animals all over them. Howling in abject humiliation, he relinquished the pillow and yanked the sheets back over his body. "God, _Mom_, a little privacy!"

She straightened up and put both hands on her hips, smirking. "Who bought you those? I know I didn't."

He turned beet red and self-consciously pulled the sheets up to his chin as he sat up. She smiled at him again and turned to leave the room. "Get up now if you don't want to reheat your breakfast in the microwave." She paused at the threshold and whipped around abruptly, stinging him with her frosty glare. "And if you come into the kitchen dressed like that, I _will_ kill you."

"Aw c'mon," her son whined. "Dad does it!"

His mother raised an eyebrow. "He does, does he? I'm going to have to have a little talk with him." A wicked, vengeful look entered her eyes and he was suddenly sorry he said anything. Dad didn't like being pummeled by Mom anymore than he did!

Getting out of the bed, he waved his mother out of his room and closed the door, ignoring her victorious expression as he grumbled to himself. Mom seemed to enjoy tweaking at his male pride a little too much. He supposed it was a woman thing - or maybe it was just a Mom thing. Either way he vowed the sooner he could graduate the sooner he could be more or less on his own.

He pulled on a white shirt with a red X on the back and front of it and yanked on a pair of black pants. In passing the mirror over his desk, he tackled the yellow mess of hair atop his head, squinted his green eyes at his freckled façade. Giving up, he kicked aside a few articles of clothing on his way out. His mother would yell at him for the mess later. Not that he particularly cared. His stuff was where he could find it. Who cared about the way it _looked_? Sheesh, moms were so weird.

He found his mother already at the table, dressed for her job, ladling a hot cup of that herbal tea she liked so much. She was reading the news and didn't look up when he entered the room although she pointed to his breakfast. He approached the table and stared at it.

"Eggs again?" he blurted, dismayed.

"Yes, again." Her eyes never left the article she was perusing. "You are going to eat real food even if it kills you."

"But Mom . . ."

"Don't 'But Mom' me. If you don't want me making your breakfast, then you get your own ass out of bed and make it yourself. I'm not your maid."

Damn, she sounded grouchy this morning! Behind the paper, the boy made a face, crossed his eyes and pretended to stick a finger down his throat. His mother sensed it and just smiled over the lip of the teacup as she brought it to her lips. He was just like his father.

He downed his meal in record time and while he pilfered milk from the fridge, he glanced back at his mother. "I'm staying at Dad's tonight. Thought I'd let you know."

"Mm. Thank you." Her back was seated to him so he couldn't see her face.

There was a silence. He fidgeted; there was an uncertain seriousness to the set of his features. "Um, Mom?"

"Yes?"

Beat. An inaudible sigh and slight shake of the head. "Never mind. I'm going to school." He reached down to the place between the stove and the door where he'd dropped his book bag the other day. Swinging it over his shoulder, he pointed himself to the door. "You'll be off . . .?"

"Midnight, hopefully," she folded the paper over and tossed it aside. "My lunch break is at two."

Her son grinned wide. "Thanks." Running up, he hugged her from behind until she patted his arm in return before letting her go to bolt outside, yelling "Good bye!" loud enough to wake the dead. He waited for her to turn around in her chair and wave after him while he ran backward doing the same, almost tripping over a potted plant in the process.

He liked to visit his mother at work and bring her lunch because she never seemed to remember to eat on while on shift. Poor woman needed a keeper. _This is what happens when you're the reputed best,_ he thought. _People treat you like some omnipotent god. _It was the same with his father, although unlike Mom, he had the stamina to almost live up to such crazy expectations. But he knew because his father had told him, he sometimes got a little tired of it. Then he'd winked and said, "Don't tell anyone I said that, though, I got a good thing going."

_Least Dad tells me stuff,_ he thought as he ran through the village._ Mom just gets tight-lipped. I know she's been like that forever but I'd wish she'd tell me more than what she does._

Women, he divined from this, were a mystery.

As he ran, his short attention span had his bright eyes shifting from one thing to another. He didn't see the girl until he slammed into her, heard her yelp in surprise and fallen on her rear in the dirt. Knocked back himself rather disgracefully, he received a bump to the back of his head and a bruise to his bottom. Rubbing both places, he recovered enough to look up and was immediately horror-stricken - or smitten - it was hard to decide.

The young woman he'd collided into was palming her lower back, wincing in pain. Her waterfall of lustrous ebony hair spilled down her shoulders midway to her lower back. She was wearing a simple blue dress that fit her snugly. When her sharply defined chin rose and her eyes opened, he was struck by the darkness of her eyes. So black and depthless, it was like looking into a clouded sky at night or the deep end of a lake. They bore into him even as they blinked comically in bewilderment at what had slammed into her.

There was something else too. She appeared to be awfully familiar but for the life of him he couldn't place her face at the moment. The blonde boy swallowed, green eyes round, as he watched her dust herself off and get back to her feet. Quickly imitating the action, he scrambled to his own feet, his mouth running faster than his brain could keep up with.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you, are you okay, please don't be mad, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry . . .!"

"Shut up."

His jaw snapped shut.

"Watch where you're going next time, huh?"

Totally agreeing, he nodded hard.

Her eyes went to his backpack. "Going to school?"

"Yeah."

She smiled again. "Good luck." Brushing by him, shouldering her purse, she moved on. It took a fraction of a second for him to realize, no, things were still not okay and he felt it was really, really very crucial he learn her name. Like if he didn't, he never would see her again or something.

"Ano sa!" he yelled.

She waited, not turning.

"What's your name?"

She looked back at him. "Katana."

He grinned wide, making his eyes squint, a faint tickle of red appearing on his cheeks. Man, she was cute! And she was talking to HIM! Suddenly he was glad in a weird way to have crashed into her. "Katana. That's a nice name."

She shrugged coyly, offering an innocent smile that translated into his unwitting mind as the prettiest smile he'd ever seen, and was gone.

He waved limply, murmuring a weak farewell, watching the raven beauty vanish into the bustling marketplace.

"Lord above," he sounded gone, even to his own ears. "Please let this not be a dream."

Then he caught sight of his wristwatch.

"CRAP! I'M LATE! AGAIN!" he shouted and raced off toward the Academy. Argh, why did it have to be no matter what he did that he was always late? _At least I have a reason this time . . . boy wait till the guys hear about this one! They'll kill me for sure!_

It didn't even occur to him that he'd forgotten to give her _his_ name and that she had never even asked.

* * *

After my run in with the blonde whirlwind, I continued on my way. I thought about the books he was carrying, somewhat peeved a moron who couldn't see the road in front of him to run on it was getting a decent education while me whose probably read every damn book known to mankind couldn't because she didn't have a freaking sponsor! 

Life just sucked, I decided angrily. I wanted to tear out my hair and scream. This endless cycle of dead ends _had_ an end, right? Surely I wouldn't keep running into brick walls all the time. I still believed I'd be able to make it here, I just needed a bit of patience, a bit of hope and some good old-fashioned determination. I would not fade away by crashing into the blonde whirlwinds of the world.

My feet stopped and I looked up at the building. _Okay. _I took a quick breath - _here I am_ - and started up the stairs, absently brushing away wrinkles in my dress. It was the one I'd bought on my first day in Konoha and probably the cleanest thing I owned. The original was still drying on the clothesline at home. I had embroidered at the collar tiny neatly stitched red and white fans. I was personally very proud of it and there have been a number of unrelated occasions people have told me I'd make an excellent seamstress. There was a good chance that I could probably make a modest living off of it.

I filed that one away under the mental file box: IF ALL ELSE FAILS.

Now where do I go?

I stopped in the open lobby, one thumb under the purse's strap, left foot tapping on the white marble floor in thought. The dry cool air rushed over my perspiration-dampened skin; relief absolutely throbbed over me. The heat today was incredible it was like breathing through a wet sponge outside. Finally recovered, I began taking note of my surroundings.

Catching a brass plaque under a sheet of glass on the wall out of the corner of my eye, I moved in for a closer look. It was the visitor's floor plan map for the building. It showed which floor each department was on and what room they were in. There was also a legend in the lower right hand margin.

Reaching up on my tiptoes, I ran my finger down the cold, slick surface and squinted at the kanji thoughtfully. A presence appeared from the ground floor B-wing some distance behind me. At first I dismissed it, thinking it was just some random ninja passing through the lobby. When her reflection revealed she was indeed standing practically over my head with one hand on her hip, I decided she was _probably_ here for me after all._Uh-oh, now you're in for it!_ In for what I couldn't fathom because I didn't recall having done anything wrong.

_Wrong to you._

I slowly lowered my hand and gradually turned around, blinking owlishly. To her I must have appeared to be younger than I was - Otosan often told me I could pass for an eight-year-old.

Obviously having a good three heads above me, this Amazon of a woman stood on her elegant high heels and peered down at me through almond colored eyes. Her hair was pale blonde, cascading down her back in two ponytails that might have given her an attractive girlish countenance hadn't the regal set of her youthful face shown a certain air of command. I felt something else - almost fizzling - around her appearance. I tilted my head to the side and activated my Sharingan for a brief moment.

Well. So this is why.

Don't think I wasn't tempted to announce this aloud and I almost did, looking her from foot to hair. Blinking back to normalcy, a nervous half-smile crept across my lips. Lucky for her I hadn't inherited my father's tactlessness.

She smiled back, more friendly and more sincerely. "Satisfied?" she said with a wickedly merry edge.

I nodded, clasping my hands before me politely.

"You must be the infamous Uchiha Katana," she continued, eyeing me with - to be damned I say it - amusement. "Huh. I didn't expect the resemblance to be _this_ striking."

This was going to get old fast. I gave her a withering look that told about as much. It vanished when she held her hand up, between two fingers a tiny cassette tape, the kind that went into . . . I looked from it, to her face and frowned. But she just smiled and jerked her chin over her shoulder. "Let's go talk in the lounge. Much quieter there."

Ever the dutiful daughter, I followed her down a short hallway, ignoring the glances she snatched over her shoulder. Instead I favored my surroundings, honestly checking everything out with interest. Passing a soda machine, I paused before it and remembered I hadn't had any semblance of a breakfast this morning. No wait . . . no coins. Damn.

Wait. No . . . I couldn't do it here in front of her! _What kind of impression is that going to make? _

Oh screw it. I'm thirsty.

Finding the right place - it has to be exact or it won't work - I formed three quick hand seals and then slammed the heel of my palm on this particular spot. The smack made the low-humming beverage dispenser shudder. The older woman watched as the inner mechanism was defeated and a can dropped into the slot. I picked it up. Ugh. It was diet, not a favorite, however I wasn't about to complain.

Holding it away from my body in case it decided to erupt, the sound of the pressured seal releasing was explosive in the fallen silence. As I sipped mine, I pointed to the machine in silent invitation - you want one?

No. She shook her head and opened the door to the lounge, ushering me in first and then closed the door after the both of us. I missed how she rapidly blinked her eyes and shook her head.

"You have no shame at all, do you?"

The question was meant to sound teasing; underneath it was a citation of pure fact. It said she had listened to the tape, it said she knew what kind of person I was. As I moved through, I set the now empty can on a long table. The distinct _thwack_ of a metal can hitting hard wood was loud in the small room.

"No."

Facing her, in one swift motion I kicked a chair apart from the table, hooked it with my foot and pulled it beneath me. From the action alone it probably killed whatever picture of a lady she might have painted of me. To compensate I crossed one leg over the other and rested an elbow at the edge of the table, the other lying across my kneecap. Everything about my actions was meant to demonstrate to this woman exactly who I was and from the semi-amused glower she was favoring upon me I'd succeeded in doing that.

"So what do they call you?" I began as she pulled out a chair too, normally, and seated herself.

"Tsunade, Hokage-sama, the Fifth, and in certain circles, old lady," she propped her head up casually with her elbow. "Though if you ever call me the last one, young lady, I'll kick your ass."

"And you call me 'young lady' again, I'll kick yours," I returned easily. "I don't care who you are."

Oh yeah, we were both grinning fiercely now.

She tossed the tape on the table with cool aplomb. "My time is valuable so let's make this short and sweet." She jabbed an index finger at the tape. "I suppose it would be pointless to go over anything on this with you?"

I rewarded the query with a frank expression. _What do you think?_

"Yeah, didn't think so." Tsunade sat up straighter with a barely perceptible wince. Illusions only hid so much. "So," she laced her fingers together and regarded me. "Tell me what you think I should do with you."

"You're the Hokage, isn't this your discretion?"

Two almond eyes narrowed into rankled slits. "Don't get smart with me kid. This predicament is _very_ serious and considering the circumstances of your infiltration-"

_Whoa. Hold all the lines! My what! "_Infiltration?" I shot up in my seat and curled my fingers over the edges. "You mean you're saying - you're accusing - me of espionage?"

The Hokage lazily raked her fingers through her hair; for all the interest she vested into this parley, she no doubt would have found a _spinning top_ more stimulating. Her next words, however, were a far cry from the carriage of indifference. "A conjunct theory among the council is you're here on Orochimaru's orders although the bastard himself has claimed he's had no contact whatsoever with the elder Uchiha for over twelve years." She eyed me. "Well, that magic number coincides with your apparent age so we can fill in a few blanks on our own. Your existence confirms most of the rumors about Uchiha Sasuke that've circulated throughout the hidden villages across Fire Country over the past decade."

"Rumors?"

Tsunade shifted her weight more comfortably in the hard plastic chair. "Your father vanished off of Konoha's radar somewhere around the time he reached his late teens. Afterwards the Hidden Village of Sound severely scaled back its advances and threats on Konoha with no explanation whatsoever. As years passed, Jiraiya's network and hunter nins dropped hints here and there of a sighting in a distant village, someone who knew someone who saw Sasuke, either passing through at an inn or working some odd job. The earlier rumors frequently reported a young child travelling with him. Talk among indicted guttersnipes included tales of being double-teamed by a high level ninja and a young girl."

She reached between her robes and pulled out the thickest manila folder I'd ever seen in my life and dropped it unceremoniously in the middle of the table. The flimsy surface shook with the impact.

"It's all here," she tapped it with one elegant red fingernail. "Every mission report is filed chronologically by date."

"You want me to verify them," I stated, smelling the unmistakable design of purpose.

Nod. "_Hai_. Only what you are certain is accurate." She paused and leveled with me when she sensed my muted prudence. "I'm not asking you to betray your father. We just need answers."

Answers. There was something we both had in common. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Okay. What do you want to know?" Tsunade seemed taken aback. "Papa told me to tell the truth so I'll tell you whatever you want to know. I told you I have nothing to hide." I sighed. "As for my father, our destinies . . . they no longer intercede and . . . and I don't believe I will see him again." The dreaded sting returned to my eyes and a tear dripped down my cheek. A small pang pierced my chest. My body betrayed me again. I realized right then and there that I was never going to stop feeling sad when I talked about him. There were still so many things left unsaid, undone. All I ever dreamt of accomplishing, as a person, as a woman and as a daughter - he would never see any of it. Just as his father hadn't. The ache rebuilt itself anew in me and I despaired of ever being rid of it.

Tsunade touched my arm gently and I looked up at her and smiled weakly at the sympathy in her face. I palmed away the tear and shrank together a little.

"I know what you must be feeling," she said quietly. "Not so long ago a young girl your age stood at the gates of this village and watched a young boy walk away forever. I'm afraid no matter who Sasuke gets close to he refuses to share his fate with anyone. It is perhaps his only kindness." Pause. "But maybe I'm wrong."

I looked up. "What do you mean?"

She smiled cryptically, speaking sotto of things I could not even begin to fathom. "You're here, aren't you?"

I opened my mouth and closed it again, confused. "Ma'am?"

But she waved it away. "Ne, none of that, please, it makes me feel old. How about this," she leaned in conspiratorially. "Let's say I take you on faith and believe you when you say you want to make a life here. Your father's crimes are his own so you will not be punished for them and there is no evidence supporting your involvement in these crimes. As for your loyalty as a daughter . . ." Debatably her finger went to her chin and tapped it lightly. "Hmm, don't suppose I could ask you to be that loyal to Konoha can I?" An appetent glint came to her eye and a soft smirk quirked her lips. The Hokage was a craftily devilish creature.

Inquiringly, I turned my head to the side, trying to read into her intentions. "Depends on what you're offering."

_Two can play little girl._ Her arms folded across her generous bosom. "What can you imagine?" Ah yes, she was enjoying this.

"If you put it that way." I folded my fingers together and leaned forward, a dark smirk stretching across my own mouth, speaking in its own tongue on insinuation. "I can imagine quite a lot."

"How does a full sponsorship at the Ninja Academy for enrollment next fall sound? Once you become a Genin, you won't have to worry about shopping for a job anymore." Wink.

If I didn't already know I'd been surveilled, I might have thought the woman possessed some kind of extra sensory perception. Sitting back, I tapped my fingertips together one at a time thoughtfully. Bribery seemed a lost art in the ninja world. "Hmm, you pull a tough train, Tsunade-sama." Hey, if she thought she was cleverly manipulating me, the least I could do was tug back a bit.

Light sniff. "You better believe it. Make up your mind fast, kid, I'm retiring soon."

"So I've heard." I pretended to think about a minute longer. "All right," I drawled slowly on purpose. "You've got me."

The woman's brow wrinkled in dubious surprise. "My, you're a hard one to buy. In that case, though inhere belated . . . Welcome to Konoha."

After exacting a date and time for me to look at the old mission reports (which she warned were highly classified and under normal circumstances she wouldn't even have shown them to me) it was time for me to leave.

"Don't disappoint me, Uchiha," she called after me.

Hand on the door, I grinned at her with that old arrogant Uchiha self-assurance. "Don't worry, Hokage-sama, if my father taught me anything, it was to see things through to the end." I winked. "_Sayonara_."

When I was gone, Tsunade picked up the manila folder and held it to her chest, settling her arms over it comfortably. A look of satisfaction crept across her face. There might be hope for that pitiable clan yet. _The board is set, may the pieces fall where they choose._

_

* * *

_

By the time I reached the bottom of the steps outside, I was shaking with excitement. I didn't know what kind of discussion had gone on about me with the council, that interrogation guy and the Hokage but obviously all were in favor of giving me a chance. I found it a bit odd they were being as open with me as they were, considering the kind of man my father was. Is, I clenched my teeth together. Not was. Is. You start thinking like that then that means you've given up on him and then you really will be betraying him.

_All right Katana,_ I told myself._ Regardless of their reasons for doing it, you've got their trust and you've been given a future. Make sure you don't screw this one up._

Still . . . This was great! I giggled and hugged myself, letting my body spin around once. Since I was still standing close to the last step, my foot accidentally ground against it and I tripped. I hissed between my teeth. I was such a klutz!

A couple of strong hands grabbed both of my upper arms and hauled me up. Murmuring thanks, I looked up, opening my eyes wide with surprise. It was the pink haired lady from the bathhouse! She was wearing what looked like a white mednin's uniform. Brushing at my dress self-consciously, I moved away from her considerately and snapped on a smile.

"Thank you."

She smiled. "Oh don't worry about it. I have to do it all day."

I grinned. "Haven't we met before?" I wanted to make absolutely certain. "Two weeks ago at the bathhouse?"

"_Hai_," she seemed pleased at my memory. "You're Uchiha Katana, aren't you?" I raised an eyebrow. "My friend, Naruto, the blonde man you met last night?" I nodded. "Yes, he told me about you."_Wow, didn't think I'd made that much of an impression._ "Oh yeah, him. He was a nice man. What's your name?"

"Haruno Sakura."

I lit up. I knew it! "Sugoi! The one from the picture!"

Blink. "Picture?"

"The one I found at the Uchiha estate," I explained zealously, forgetting to be aloof and standoffish. "It had you, Naruto and my father in it, along with some guy in a mask with funny hair," I continued, ignoring her expression of incredulity. "They looked _so_ mad." I absently brushed a lock of hair out of my face. "I kind of thought it might have been you but I wasn't sure. I hope I look as good as you do when I'm your age."

Sakura smiled, genuinely pleased. "Thank you. I don't think you have too much to worry about. You're already very pretty right now."

I made a face. "No, I'm not. Not like you." Sigh. "Well, it was good to meet you again."

"Same." Her manner was somewhat rigid, I noticed, since the start of our conversation. Her answers were contrived, honest, too polite, hollow. Her jade eyes had a cold guard in them, viewing me from afar, the same way Naruto had viewed me last night. While he had eased closer, she firmly kept at bay, arm's length, gaining no more distance then necessary. A nagging notion told me, from underneath, it had nothing to do with me personally. In fact it might have more to do with her. Well, I'd only just met her so I was going to give her the benefit of the doubt. I mean, what did I know? No fair in judging someone within the first two minutes.

Time to leave. This was making me uncomfortable. I waved at her and moved off at a fast clip, trying not to make it look like I was too eager to be on my way. Kami help me if I let any of these people think they were intimidating me.

* * *

It was another week and a half until anyone approached me again. Meanwhile things in hindsight went back to what passed for normal. 

It was surprising to me how well I fell into a regular pattern; I'd thought my erratic upbringing might make fitting into a schedule of habits utterly impossible. Human beings were creatures whose days were specifically programmed for routine and I was no exception. Most days I spent repairing the house and hunting, mending, washing and drying clothes. If I were feeling particularly creative or "girlish" I'd start little personal interest projects that wound up on or in some way part of the estate anyway. When I managed it I'd write in my journal or read whatever I could get my hands on. With all of my new responsibilities to self, home and hearth, my voracious appetite for the written word was insatiable. The prospect of enrollment for next fall spurred me on further and gave me mental fuel to burn those late night hours by the kerosene lamp.

Every morning and early evening I would train out somewhere; never in the same location though, I was obsessed with my privacy. That and some of my jutsus were hazardous to the health of the casual by stander. They were often hosted to secret audiences along some of those training sessions; harmless presences I continued to pay no mind to. Since none of them followed me around constantly anymore, I decided not to bitch about it.

Actually I didn't care. That was the great thing about my personality, in my opinion. I gave the impression of being cool and unflappable but the truth was . . . Those everyday irritants most people of the world complained about didn't exist for me. It took something that was progressive, embedding, constant and terminal for me to go wild-eyed with fury. Thorns and kunai wounds in annoying areas were common culprits.

These days it was joblessness and . . . and stares.

Lots of stares.

I should have expected it. The stares were less irritating in spots I frequented so I stayed away from places around town I had no business being in unless I absolutely had to be. Going to market wasn't a common chore for me thankfully. No money equals no groceries and I was used to getting sustenance from the wilderness anyway.

But I was getting sick of rabbits. Oh so _very_ sick of rabbits. I tried killing foxes but the cheeky bastards were too clever. Shooting foxes wouldn't even had occurred to me if one particular carmine colored creature hadn't taken the liberty of sneaking into the estate nights to chew something apart or steal cached food.

I dubbed him Reynard and declared war on his furry ass.

It was _his_ furry ass I was stalking in the front yard beneath the porch one late afternoon day, as the sun sat close to the horizon. Arrow cocked and at the ready, I took a sniper position on the roof and waited with monk like vigilance for him to come forth. Oh yeah he was going to be a _dead_ pain in the ass. Wasn't even a fox anymore. In my mind he was a _kitsune_, an evil demon spirit that had declared himself my opponent. Tonight he would pay for his many injustices against Uchiha Katana. That I forewent training to steeplechase him said something about my conviction toward taking him down.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. I was taking this thing _way_ too seriously. It was just a stupid fox for Kami's sake! Still, didn't care. Ol' Reynard had made himself a liability and liabilities, as Otosan once said, were to be disposed of quickly.

"Ano sa," spoke up a voice from the other end of the roof behind me much too loudly. "What's going on?"

I didn't shift nor look over my shoulder to see whom it was. I knew. I was pleased as punch to see him again but dammit _not now!_ "Shh. I'm hunting."

Ninja-like, because it's what he was, Uzumaki Naruto appeared beside me, eyeing my read-steady deportment with arched eyebrows. "In your front yard," he stated matter-of-fact.

"Yes."

"House mice?" He thought he was funny.

"No. Fox." I adjusted my position. "He steals my food stores no matter where I hide them. Thus he must die."

"Oh?" He exhaled through his nose wryly. "Ever thought to ask the fox for his side of the story?"

"His side of the story is not a factor," my words were cold and precise. "The only side of him I want is the one this arrow will be sticking through."

"That's a lot of animosity for a dumb animal."

No other nine words in any other order could have done it. I lowered the arrow and relaxed the bowstring. Pivoting slightly on one heel, I turned to face him.

"What?" His blue orbs rounded, making him look so much younger than his twenty-seven years.

"My father says that."

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Says what?"

" 'That's a lot of animosity for a dumb animal,' " I repeated and then explained apologetically. "I'm kind of obsessive about _certain_ things." Blush. "Guess that makes me a freak."

The man shrugged. "Join the club." Then he grinned and for a moment he reminded me of that damn fox I was pulling arrows for. Speaking of which . . . I reassumed the position. "So what brings you to this side of the Uchiha graveyard?"

"I happened to be in the neighborhood."

"Bullshit," I muttered, sight along the arrow. His nose was sticking out from under the porch, testing the air. The rest of my reply was a whisper. "Nobody strolls this far near an abandoned side of town unless they know someone's living there."

Seeing the creature's head with a handsome pair of triangular black tipped ears the same time I did, Naruto became very quiet. Reynard emerged slowly, each step hesitant and cautious. Paw by paw, inch by inch he crept out from beneath the porch; his wet bewhiskered black nose twitched and his sharply defined face went up and down a little with each sniff. His head snapped from side to side but he couldn't find what he was scenting, unknown to him that it was perched above and beyond his range of sight. Admiringly he was a beautiful, healthy example of his species. That one made it this far into town was strange, if only simply improbable.

Silently I pulled the arrow taut. _Sayonara you white tipped tail son of a vixen._

Just as I was about to release the shaft, Naruto made a short sound like that of a fox barking.

Reynard stood completely to attention, every hair straight and stiff to the ear and in a bright red flash he was gone.

"Argh!" Growling, I put down my weapon, stood and rounded on the grinning man. "Dammit, why did you do that? I had him! He would have been out of my hair - out of my food!" I clenched and unclenched my fists spastically. I wanted to kill him at the same time I just thought kicking his ass would probably suffice. Stupid idea, I had no ghost's chance of besting him since he was, in fact, a high level Jounin. I'd be a fly in his ear. One good swift smack and bye-bye.

Good, maybe I can make his ears ring.

"State your business or leave. I actually have better things to do." Refraining from stomping with terminal intensity, I stalked across the roof, paused on the edge and leapt to the ground. He followed me.

"I know. You seem to have made this entire place your 'better things to do'." He leaned against a post holding up the porch roof as he watched me stow away the bow and arrows. "I'm not here on a social call, unfortunately. I'm here to let you know you've been taken under."

"Taken under?" I repeated, pausing to stare at him. "What do you mean? Like adopted?"

"Something like that."

"_Excuse me_?" My eyes narrowed. "Without my knowledge or consent? I thought orphans could live on their own here - and I'm not even that."

"For the most part they do. I did." He shrugged, nonchalant. "But you're a special case."

Special case, please, gag me now. I digested that one for a while. "Still can't trust me can you?" I concluded warily, glaring.

"That's not it." He appeared slightly offended. "Just let me finish."

I waited, holding the broom I'd picked up in both hands, leaning on it somewhat.

"Enrollment is coming up in another week. You need a sponsor in order to register, right?" I nodded. "Well, it's your lucky day. You've got yourself a sponsor!" The man radiated sunshine and glee.

"Hn, really." Letting the clouds cover over, I eyed him, taking the broom away and putting a hand on one hip. "I suppose this is the part where you tell me who got lucky enough to watch over my sorry ass."

"Yep!" I didn't like his triumphant grin.

"Be still my beating heart. Who?"

Naruto grinned and folded his arms, leering at me victoriously.

Oh no, oh no, aw hell. I rolled my eyes and dropped the broom, turning away so he wouldn't see how my jaw tensed up when I gritted my teeth. Saw that damn thing coming a mile away and it managed to hit me anyway. I really could be so foolish sometimes.

"Hey, hey," he admonished. "Don't get all pissy about it, I'm not going to make you leave this place or anything." He made a face at me. "Heh, I don't need to add another teenager to my Watch list. You guys drive me nuts." I responded with a mock sweet smile of pure bullshit innocence. He snorted at it. "I'll just drop by on you every now and again like my sponsor used to do with me. Won't even know I'm here half the time, swear." He held his fist over his heart.

All right, that sounded tolerable. "I can take care of myself," I warned him FYI. "Just in case you're overcome with the need to be overly charitable." I paused thoughtfully. "Which you are . . . oddly. Why _are_ you doing this?"

I didn't believe that benign look for an instant. "Ne, ne, can't a guy help someone out of the goodness of his heart? Why do I need a motive?"

Heh, I could believe that about as much as I could throw it. "Because _everybody's_ got a motive. You and me, we're still on 'hello.' We haven't gotten to 'how are you' yet." I deliberated. "This is because of my father, isn't it. Tell me," I looked him in the eye, changing the subject. "How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"Almost sixteen years." Naruto appeared astonished at the number when he spoke it, reaching up to rub his sinuses vigorously. He's only now realized the weight of the years. "Kami-sama," he murmured. "It's really been that long?"

His eyes reflected the past strongly in that moment, like to him it hadn't happened that long ago. Like maybe somewhere it was always nearby just waiting for the barest reminder to skim the surface. I knew what it was I saw in him for this was the same thing that tormented my father. These two, I knew now, were connected by a strong tie; an unbreakable bond that knew no distance, no span of years or ages. It was something that was real, meaningful and more tangible than the all rage, hatred, tension and pain that had hung between Itachi and Otosan.

Quietly I sank down on the steps and the Jounin gradually joined me. For a long time, neither of us spoke or even looked each other's way.

He folded his arms atop his knees. "I tried to bring him back," his voice was subdued, charged with regret. "So many times. Sasuke meant more to me in those years than anything else did - even becoming Hokage." His sunny head lowered, debating on how much he should disclose to me. "I didn't want to give up."

I tucked my arms around my knees and rested my head on them, watching the man who had been my father's best friend closely. Not even he on his worst days could sound so wrought. Otosan had destroyed something in this man. _Oh Papa, how much of this did you cause?_

"You did?" I murmured.

"No." Naruto gave me a tired smile. "I'm a fool, like my sensei used to tell me. Maybe Sasuke believed we were enemies when he left me for dead that day but I never did. Heh," he offered me a plainly false smile when he saw me freeze, "he didn't tell you about that did he?"

Oh. My. God. Then the conversation I had with my father about _Of Mice and Men_ came back to me with a sudden vivid clarity, knocking me nearly breathless. What my father was thinking about then . . . what he was thinking as he said those words to me . . . I just didn't think, couldn't imagine this. The sheer irony . . . !

"George and Lenny." I began to giggle, although painfully. "And I chase the rabbits!" Oh yes I was mad with mirth, dipping my head between my arms. Couldn't really blame the man for staring at me like I'd grown two heads. If only he knew he'd be giggling himself to death too. I waved him off and just patted him on the arm fondly.

"That a private joke?" He rubbed his neck. "You'll have to tell me because I think I missed the point."

I shook my head and then my eyes went wide in understanding at what had passed. In an instant I saw it all. Out of a deep-seated need to reconcile with himself his failure to bring his friend home, he was going to do this man the undeserved honor of watching over his daughter - just because he was, as I was discovering, Uzumaki Naruto. He was above that precious desire for retribution, that path of self-ordained vengeance Otosan so religiously followed. His love for a comrade outweighed all of those in a staggering bravura that left me dumbstruck. Had I not loved my father the way I did, had I held even the slightest amount of scorn for him, I would not have seen this so quickly. Perhaps this was how Naruto had always been his whole life. Take the chance even at the risk of being burned beyond recognition.

The Sharingan endowed its bearer with the gift of insight into such things that most could never hope to perceive about their fellow human beings. I suppose it made for a better killer however to me I had not discovered a weakness. I had discovered something else.

I stared at the Jounin like I'd never seen him before. Strangely I was glad he had stopped me from killing the fox.

At his preoccupied expression, I hugged my knees and smirked in the coming twilight. "Thank you. I know I don't deserve this kindness but I will do my greatest to return it. I'll be the best damn ninja you ever saw."

Naruto folded his arms behind his head and stretched, standing. "It's all I could ask, kid."

He left then, leaving me again with a bright grin. I didn't move from that stoop for a very long time.

_A/N: For those who don't know, a reynard is what a male fox is called. I'm probably overplaying the_ Of Mice and Men _metaphor. You might be interested to know that the analysis Sasuke and Katana give the book comes directly from a paper I wrote on the book way back in tenth grade. I thought the whole thing with Lenny embodying the American Dream was a perfect parallel to Naruto, in this case the "dream" of friendship he had with Sasuke. When he lost to him at the Valley of the End, that "dream" died too (rather than a physical death, although their dream does indeed die with Lenny)._


	7. Uzumaki and Uchiha

Tap tap.

He stopped tossing the ball mid throw, listening intently. "Yeah?"

"It's eleven o' clock," the muffled voice of his mother filtered through. "Lights out."

"Lights out?" By reflex he glanced at the digital clock by his dresser. "But it's Friday! Why are you making me turn in now?" he called out indignantly.

Pause. "It's Friday?"

"Uh, yeah, all day."

Another pause. "Itai! Never mind. Just stop throwing that ball against the wall, I can hear it right inside my room."

He scowled, dug his fingers into the ball. "How about if I changed walls?"

"Don't be a smart ass." His mother tried the knob, found it unlocked and opened the door. She found her son sitting cross-legged on the mattress, scrolls unrolled before him. Startled that she had intruded on him studying, she took a hesitant step back in apology. However her son just grinned and waved her in. She smiled back, pushed the door until it was ajar and entered. He heard her tolerant sigh as she toed at the odds and ends littering the bedroom floor.

"Someday you're going to come home and all of your stuff will be in the garbage."

Geez, did she have the flair for the melodramatic or what? He made a face.

She looked up at him. "I'm serious about this. Clean your room or it's all going. I don't care."

Man, what was _with_ her these days? Probably on her period or something, yeah, he knew about _that_ well enough! The boy crossed his arms and hunched his shoulders. "Did you come in here just to bitch at me?" he grumbled under his breath.

"Hey. Language," she warned.

He rolled his eyes. Really, that rule needed to go out the window bad. He could maybe see why she hated it so much; between him and his father and her being the only girl, the two households were a bevy of bad language and bad manners. In his head it was normal, men were supposed to cuss, be messy and generally doing men-type stuff. Women liked manners, neatness and strangely they liked being the one in control. And this control seemed to extend over every aspect of life. His life anyway.

After wading through the sea of non mentionables and half open scrolls, his mother seated herself on the edge of his bed like it was covered in wet paint and she was afraid of getting the mess all over her, one leg tucked under her. For once she wasn't wearing her uniform, she had on a red dress without sleeves, the hem reaching her knees. Her short pale hair was pinned back behind her ears with silver barrettes. In her late twenties, his mother was a young woman, much younger than any of his friends' mothers who were all in their late thirties to early forties. The same went for his father. Because of this peculiarity he had to endure his buddies' inappropriate "Dude, your mom is hot!" and some of his female friends going, "God, your dad is _so_ cute!" To them young parents was a novelty, something you didn't see every day in the Hidden Village of Konoha.

It only made him want to die oh… every other day. However he was content to leave it that way. If they found out his parents weren't married and that they didn't even live together… Well, he preferred not to conceive of it.

With an easy practiced movement, he rolled up the scroll in front of him and tossed it across the room to land on top of his desk. "So what's up?" he asked comfortably, casually kicking back with his back against the headboard, crossing his arms behind his head. "How's work?" Huh, she wouldn't look at him. "Mom?" his brow furrowed in worry and he tilted his head to the side. "You okay?"

She nodded and then put her hand over her face and her shoulders began to shake. It took a second for him to figure out she was crying. Terrified he could only stare at her, unable to believe what he was witnessing. When he was able to free himself from the paralyzing shock, he crawled carefully over the mattress and paused, afraid to touch her. "Mom, what's the matter?" She didn't answer she just shook her head. Her sobs got worse and he became even more distressed. There was something seriously wrong. He'd seen her cry before but _never_ like this.

Slipping his arms around her shoulders and letting their heads touch, he fumbled with comfort words, telling her it was okay, that whatever it was she could get through it, that he was here and finally he turned his own fears outward when the sobbing continued. "You're scaring me, Mom, please _please_ tell me what's wrong. I'm not kidding."

She didn't answer, only pulled away to lie across his bed on her side and turned her tear-streaked face to the side, her hair falling over her forehead to cover her eyes. Her son slid off to give her space, staring down at her helplessly, watching her and feeling like a complete idiot. Grabbing his hair with both of his hands, he agonized over what to do. Obviously leaving her alone was a bad idea. _Crying like this wasn't normal_. But dammit what could he do? That she would come to him, start crying and then not tell him what was wrong, and him just standing here doing nothing it made him feel so utterly _useless_.

His face twisted in anguish. Okay. He didn't want to do it because it would reveal his inadequacy as a ninja, a human being and probably a son, but he didn't know what else to do. Bolting from the room, he ran down the hall to the front door, pausing briefly to fetch something out from a small table next to it, ran into the night and proceeded to climb on top of the roof. Orienting himself in a certain direction, he turned on the object - a flashlight - and began blinking it using Morse code.

HELP

Five minutes elapsed before another light seven homes over blinked back.

PROBLEM?

MOM, he blinked. UPSET.

WHY?

He sighed and lightly thunked himself on the head with the flashlight. Geez, you had to write down everything chapter and verse! "How am I supposed to know?" he shouted over the darkened rooftops. "She won't tell me!"

"You try asking her?"

"AGHH!" he yelped and instinctively back flipped and landed into a crouch, holding the flashlight like a makeshift weapon. He scowled when he saw his father standing there, looking amused as usual. Straightening up, his son mumbled. "You suck, you know that?" he accused.

Shrug. "Sticks and stones, boy. Now why is Mom upset? You being an ass again?"

He bristled. "I already told you, she wouldn't tell me. She came in my room and then just started crying." The boy was helpless again. "I'm really scared, Dad, I've never seen her like this."

His father frowned, hard to see in the darkness, but he felt it wave over him like a hot wind. Without another moment's hesitation, he leapt down to the ground and the son followed him up to the door but then stopped short and let it close behind his dad. He knew it was stupid and that he wasn't being fair but sometimes he felt the reason why she was unhappy was because of him. His being there, he was convinced, wouldn't help.

So he stood there, staring at the door for a long time before sinking down to sit on the front stoop. His nose itched; he sniffed and fiercely blinked back the hot sting in his eyes. A burning knot tightened in his throat and he swallowed painfully. Suddenly unable to bear it, he tore off the stoop and ran off into the dark.

He would go to that fishing pier, he decided. Maybe if he spent the night under the stars between the sky and the water, he would be able to sleep.

* * *

"Sakura-chan." 

Hearing the soft sound of her name, the woman tensed and then let her strain bleed out. Oh Kami, she closed her eyes and turned her tear-stained face into the bedspread. She had sent the poor boy running for his father because he didn't know what to do with her. Just like me, she thought bitterly, I'm still too weak to handle my own problems. Take the way her son had stood there staring at her broken form, probably thinking about what a pathetic mother she was. Yeah, that's what she was. Pathetic.

She felt the bed sink down behind her as Naruto sat down. For a long moment, neither moved nor even spoke, letting silence abide its way. When she felt his fingers touching her hair and then moving up and down her arm, she breathed out slowly, shallow and deep at the same time. Shivers ran down her spine and feeling insecure and exposed started to bring her knees up to her chest.

He stopped her and forced her to sit up. Enveloped in his arms, her face pressed against his collar. Limbs slackening, she just let herself be held concentrating on his chin tucked on top of her head, the faint sound of his heartbeat, his warmth. The warmth that she craved and that had been the start of so many things and the end of so many things.

She blurted the first thing on her mind, muffled and miserable. "You must think I'm pathetic."

"No," he replied, saying what she knew he would. "You're not pathetic, you're upset. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, really. Stupid… I'm just so tired, the workload gets to me sometimes."

"But that badly? Maybe you should take some time off," he suggested softly, his breath on her scalp.

"Maybe," she murmured.

Silence.

"That's not it, is it? There's more."

Damn him for knowing her so well. "There's always more."

"You won't tell me?" he sounded hurt.

"You wouldn't understand." There she went, pretending he knew nothing about her. Why she kept twisting the knife even after all these years she still didn't understand. Perhaps some sadistic aspect of her found it easy pickings despite her utter shame of it. Knowing you possess a blemish on your soul so horrible didn't guarantee you could do anything about it. A vice that kept striking the last person she should be hurting because he simply did not deserve it. Again and again.

Still he stayed with her, holding her despite the fact he didn't deserve her, although in _his_ mind it was not for the reasons she thought he should have. Though he knew he was only asking for it, he allowed her to pull away a little and look into his eyes. Jade met cerulean. So close, so close, he wanted to breach that distance, that short distance that yawned between the two of them like an abyss. Sure they could pretend but he wanted more than a charade and not because it had anything to do with _his_ feelings or _hers_.

It wouldn't be fair to _him_.

Sakura flickered from his eyes to his mouth and back again. He saw this and his resolve hardened into steel and he drew back slightly. He was doing the right thing. Both of them knew it never fixed anything and caused more trouble than it solved.

But right now Sakura wasn't listening to rationality or entertaining logic - two things she was noted and admired for among her colleagues and shinobi. The voice inside, the one she could normally repress and smother. The one she hated with a passion and yet now obeyed without question.

Crash and burn.

Resolve failing, Naruto sighed through his nose as her lips pressed against his and didn't offer any resistance when her tongue pushed for entrance. This was so wrong, he despaired opening his mouth wider against hers, plundering her mouth without reservation. All over again he felt the dreaded rush. All over again he longed to possess her as he had that night so long ago, find his way in and make her scream while he moaned like a man dying. Driven by lust and the desperate need to fill in the places in their lives where the one who should have been there was absent. They each played that one's part to each other and nothing killed him so badly as that first time she came, came for _him_, she had said _his_ name. Later she cried in her shame while he suffered the pernicious blow in silence. They reconciled much later afterwards - had to - and their friendship eventually healed. In a way he was glad for the consequences of their actions because it gave them some place to start over - and a reason.

But he never let himself touch her again. He swore it. Never again, not even if she asked for him. Not even when….

Somehow her hand drifted downwards.

…Oh…. Oh he was in trouble. He fisted her hair in his fingers and screamed inwardly. _Stopstopstopstop! Oh Kami, not the neck too…_ Why was she doing this? He moaned and helplessly writhed under her ministrations, unable to bring himself to stop her. Goddammit he wasn't a teenager anymore! If she wasn't going to stop this, he would.

With great effort he grasped her shoulders and pushed her gently and insistently off him. "No," he managed between breaths. "No, we can't do this."

Sakura caught hold of her reason, cursed inner oaths and retreated gladly, chanting over and over in her head with relief. _Thankyouthankyouthankyou_. She burned with humiliation for having acted like a cat in heat. The desperation to forget was what had caused this the last time and she would be damned if she let it happen again.

I almost did.

Firmly setting the distance between them, more that he was now pointedly moved apart from her, Naruto carefully extinguished the longing and the fire he had felt only seconds before. His cheeks were still red and his breath was still short but he was back in control of his senses. He curdled in inner contrition, as he had to resist the urge again, seeing Sakura still flush and out of breath from their encounter. Kami, he was such a pervert.

"I shouldn't have done that," she said miserably, running her fingertips up and down her arm. _I'm so sorry._

He nodded and exhaled quietly. "Do you feel better?" he asked. _It's okay._

"A little." _No, it's not._

Naruto stood and moved to go. He didn't want to leave her still without truly knowing what it was that had wrought her so much. But he suspected it wasn't anything she herself could explain. _I'd still listen even if I couldn't understand_.

Sakura felt her insides tighten with unquenched sorrow. _I can't believe I treated him like some kind of sick comfort object. What am I supposed to say now? Thanks for coming over and letting me molest you so I can feel better about myself you're just the best! This is so horribly wrong.Have to stop him somehow. Can't let him leave thinking all he's good for me anymore is…_ "Naruto," she called quietly.

He waited at the threshold. Didn't look back but at least he wasn't leaving. _He should leave_, she thought sullenly. _I'm bad for his health and he knows it. Leave now Naruto before I wind up taking something I can't give back again._

But of course he didn't…that baka.

When she entreated no further, he turned around curiously. She gave a weak smile and shrugged. Find a subject. "How's that girl?"

"Girl?" He took it for what it was: a peace offering. Naruto moved back into the room although this time he wisely fetched his son's desk chair and perched on it. "Oh. Her. Yes. She's doing all right, last time I checked on her."

"How'd she take the news about your sponsor ship?"

"Ne, wasn't thrilled about it. But she seemed happy to know she's got a chance so there's something." He grinned despite his shattered nerves. "She's, heh, really one of a kind. Looks like an angel but man, when she opens her mouth..." He shook his head.

Sakura looped both arms around her leg. "She's very isolated," she mused. "Not in a bad way, though."

"Must be a Uchiha thing," the fox demon vessel shrugged. "Never understood how anyone can hold the whole world at bay by sheer force of will alone. Between Gaara, Neji and Sasuke, they've got a monopoly on it."

"Hmm, you're right," Sakura smiled gently, teasingly. "Can you imagine if there was a fan club?"

Naruto laughed. It wasn't funny but he laughed anyway. All three men came from outrageously damaged homes. Only Neji had needed to get over himself and thumb his nose at his self-avowed predetermination. Gaara came into the world in a melange of blood and hate, both of which he just needed to unlearn in order to function as a human being. Sasuke though... No. Sakura just couldn't bring herself to validate his darkness. The other two had _wanted_ consciously or not to rise out of what they'd gotten themselves drowned in. Sasuke was the only one who had shunned the light Naruto had offered. And he was lost to them and yet now… with this girl… it was possible somehow things had changed and they'd never known about it.

"She's probably just protecting herself," Sakura suggested, going back to the subject, shrugging. "Given how she wound up here, I wouldn't blame her."

"No." Naruto drew it out thoughtfully, a wrinkle cleft between his eyebrows. "I don't think she _wants_ to be alone. She's just used to it. She's never experienced really being with people so she doesn't know what it feels like to be lonely." He paused to chew it over scrupulously, finding the notion sadly intriguing.

"It sounds like she's used to being left alone a lot then," Sakura commented unsmilingly. "If the way she's living is any indication."

Naruto nodded. "That's what I was thinking. She's totally self-sufficient . . . even I wasn't that independent at her age. You should see what she's doing to the manor. Those repairs she's made are top-notch. Ne," he joked, "maybe I should ask her to do a little maintenance at my place. Kami knows that north-facing window needs it."

Sakura thought about it and brightened. "Well, why not? The fall semester doesn't start for another week and she's probably out of pocket money. Your apartment is virtually begging to be demolished anyway. Maybe this is your chance to make it actually _livable_."

Naruto face twisted in a whine. "Sakura-chaaaan! It's not that bad!"

"Tell that to your son. He keeps muttering about how drafty your place is."

"It's _not_ drafty!"

"It is. When a strong wind kicks up, that window blows right open wide and," here she hissed ferociously, "_like hell will I risk the chance you'll get burglarized in the middle of the night while he's there!"_

Ouch. Compromise time. When it came to the kid, Sakura was obstinate about his protection - almost homicidal. Still… "Sakura-chan, I'm always there when he's over and his room is _right_ _across_ from mine." He scratched the back of his neck. "It's hotter than hell now, though, why would he be complaining about that?"

"He will be when the winter arrives," she argued, " you know how much he hates the cold and I will _not_ be having him home sick. Ask him yourself if you don't believe me."

_Laying it on a bit thick aren't you?_ He rolled his eyes. "Ne, ne, you both love giving me hard time. All right I'll ask the girl if it bothers you so much." Give me a break. Naruto rose from the chair, which squeaked when he removed his weight. Feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable, he offered. "If you're feeling better, I'm going back home now. Call me, you know, if you need . . . whatever. 'Night." His being here hadn't solved anything after all.

He started to leave. He was out of the room and standing in the dark corridor when he heard her speak softly, clearly.

"Three people died on my table."

Naruto froze, his blue eyes widened. He glanced back into the room at her. Sakura was examining her hand, running the fingers of the other over them, twisting them together agitatedly.

"A whole team. Just kids. I-I couldn't do anything."

She didn't see the expression on his face, how the features softened. But she knew.

Her shoulders shrugged and she looked up to meet his gaze, a weak smile trying and failing to defeat the permeating melancholy. The depths of her green eyes spoke for her. _I'll be all right._ She accepted his coming back briefly to touch her hand, lifting to squeeze gently before releasing it. He heard her mouth rather than saw her lips move to form a silent thank you when he turned to leave again. A moment later she heard the sound of the front door closing.

Sakura sighed and let her feet drop to the floor with two distinct thumps. She called for her son and frowned when he didn't answer. Rocking to her feet, she padded through the small home, turning on the lights as she went. Reaching the back door, her stomach churned with anxiety. Come to think of it, she hadn't felt his presence inside the house the whole time she and Naruto had spoken. Maybe he was outside?

She checked through the back, walked around the house to the front and even gave the roof - a favorite perch - a look-see. Nothing. The kid was MIA.

Exhaling a short sound of frustration, Sakura palmed the corner of her left eye tiredly as she went back inside to fetch a flashlight. There was only one other place the kid fled to when he wanted to be alone. A sense of guilt washed over Sakura as she moved through the night, using the rooftops to scan the dimly lighted streets.

_I've been yelling at him a lot lately._ Her mednin duties stressed her out and being pent up in a hospital all day with sick, injured or dying patients was trying on the nerves. Since the poor kid was usually the only person she came home to at the end of a long shift, he was the one who bore the brunt of her frustrations. Tonight's meltdown clinched it. If she didn't have an honest open conversation with him soon, he'd probably start shutting her out.

The signs were already there: he closed his bedroom door, he did not say hello when he came home from school and he stopped finishing his sentences about the things he wanted to talk about. It was a given when they reached that age boys tended to pull away. She understood and accepted that. Still… she shouldn't have alienated him. He'd never done it to her and she didn't want him to start thinking that it was okay. Because it wasn't okay.

It was never okay.

* * *

Books were the luminescence of the soul. There was nothing like a book read by dim lantern light over a perfect mirror of water while sitting barelegged and barefoot on a pier as a gentle night breeze gently touched the edges of pages with feathery caresses. The great orb of the moon was round and silver-white hosting distant crushed bits of diamond caught in a blue black velvet sky. It had to be quite literally the best book ever written, if only for this unadulterated tranquility. A well-traveled veteran of journey like myself knew the value of a good moment and a good spot. Innately I felt I was in the right place and in this put my perpetually restless mind at peace. 

Only minutes ago I'd been training, walking atop the lake's surface, barely making a ripple or the slightest wave. While my chakra control on trees was more than just a bit off, my equipoise on top of the undependable surface of water was flawless. This was as close to perfection as I could get. Tonight I had done a handstand for the first time without plunging straight through. In my opinion, that's progress.

Now temporarily tired out but not enough to have want of sleep, I lit the ancient iron lantern and proceeded to cram in a couple of chapters before heading home for the evening. Normally I usually left such ventures for the daytime hours but this particular piece of fiction had gotten its hooks in me. There was no way I was turning in without knowing whether or not the hero was going to get out of this mess alive. From the way the author had woven the intricate plot together, things were looking pretty grim.

Things started to get pretty intense when the heroine/love interest became trapped under a capsized vessel. I started to shout - yes, I yell at my books - "Come on, you idiot, just kill him already! That girl isn't going to grow gills!"

"She won't drown." I caught the chakra before he stepped into the dim lantern light. It was the blonde whirlwind. "No author kills off the love interest unless it's part of the protagonist's character development."

I replied to his statement with a raised eyebrow. In response, the boy shrugged with his hands in the pockets of his black pants. I sized him up; something I hadn't done when we'd ran into each other a while ago. His blonde hair was spiky and his eyes were gray in the moonlight even though I remembered they were a rich emerald color. The shirt he was wearing had dark red kanji on it that said **Question Everything,** **Answer to No One. **I decided it was cheesy however I thought it was interesting too. Unabashedly I decided he wasn't a bad looking boy… although he wasn't someone I'd look twice at.

Suddenly aware of my surroundings, I got the feeling I was an intruder… certainly from the look on his face he hadn't expected anyone else to be out there.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked after a significant pause.

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

So he was going to be difficult. Two can spar. Shifting my weight to the side I jerked my head at the empty spot. "Park it if you want," I told him without looking up from my book. "I'm leaving after this chapter."

He seemed to hover doubtfully before approaching and sitting down, letting his legs hang off the pier while he leaned back on his hands. There was a long silence, interrupted only by the sound of the water sucking at the pier and the light papery sound of a page turning. From time to time I felt him glance at the book although more often than not he kept eyeballing me. I ignored it. I didn't get this far by becoming distracted by the semi-interested leers of men - inappropriate or not, though this boy's were more curious. Funny thing was he tried to hide it, which I thought was ridiculous, because he was being _so_ obvious about it. When I glimpsed up and our eyes met for a breathless two seconds, he turned so red I thought he was going to burst into flames.

I closed the book and put it down on my other side. There was more than one way to diffuse tension and it was time I put those skills to good use.

I held out my hand, palm upturned. "Uchiha Katana."

He laid his on top of it. "Uzumaki Ichigo." We shook.

"Uzumaki?" Thought he looked a little familiar. "You related to Uzumaki Naruto?"

He smiled happily. "Yep, he's my dad."

Well. I hadn't expected that. "Your dad? Wow, he's young."

Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Sorry."

He shook his head. "It's okay. Just sick of it, is all. 'Oh Ichigo, your daddy is soooo cute!' " he said in a high pitched voice. "Makes me want to ram a screwdriver through my ear."

"You think that's bad?" I can outdo him. "Everywhere we used to go, women fainted if my father even _breathed_ in their direction."

His eyes did that up and down thing. "I'm not surprised." Then suddenly he stared at me in a frozen recognition before blinking himself out of it. I ignored that too, not interested. He lit up, whatever state of despondency that he had brought with him stowed off by the wayside. "Ano sa, I've been hearing people talk and stuff. Is it true your dad's an S-class criminal?"

"That's what they call him." I focused on my feet. "But he's not a criminal. He's just a man who's made a lot of mistakes."

"Oh."

Silence.

"So… where _is_ your dad?" he asked tentatively.

I lifted a hand and waved it in a vague direction. "Somewhere out there. If he's alive."

Ichigo frowned. "Sorry."

"It's okay. What he needs to do," I shrugged, "it's better if I'm not with him. I'd only get in the way." Even though I believed otherwise.

He tilted his head, looking round at my face. "You miss him."

"Aa."

More silence.

"So you enrolling this fall?" he asked, desperately trying his best to get rid of the uneasy atmosphere. Somehow he sensed I wasn't the talky type and he felt this was unacceptable. "I am. I don't have the grades to graduate this year so I'm for it next fall too," he chuckled. "Heh, we'll probably be in the same class."

I nodded. That seemed likely.

"Oi." I looked up. He was smiling. "If you want, you know, I could help you out. I mean, with homework and stuff, if you need it."

A snort of laughter escaped from me. "You expect me to ask help from someone whose just admitted he doesn't have the grades to graduate? What, were you the dobe in your class or something?"

Oh yeah, that made him mad. But hey I wasn't going to beat around the bush. I stared out across the water. "I don't need help," I murmured at length. "Whatever I don't know I'll get from the teachers."

He appeared hurt. "I just wanted to…"

"I know."

Ichigo made careful fists in his lap and he regarded me coldly. I finally looked at him with the same distant regard. Neither of us spoke for a long time.

"You know," he began guardedly, "with that attitude, you're not going to make a good ninja. In fact you're going to die a lot faster if you don't trust people."

I narrowed my eyes at him as he got up to leave. "What makes you think you know anything about me?"

He looked back at me. "I don't. But I know enough from this conversation to say that and know I'm right. You can believe me or not, I don't care."

My mouth closed and I was at a loss of what to say. The only thing that managed to leave me was, "Wait."

He paused again.

"I'm sorry." I stood, picking up the lantern in one hand, the book in the other. I approached him and stopped. Ichigo remained unfazed. Desperately I offered a weak smile. _Please forgive me._

He considered me and then suddenly his face stretched into a grin.

My weak smile drew strength from his and blossomed into a real one.

"So…" he began, debating internally on what he wanted the nature of our affinity to be. "You train alone a lot?"

"Aa."

He closed one eye and gave me a positively devilish grin that held no insinuations beyond the bare bones of a challenge to an opponent. "Want a partner?"

_Hook, line and sinker. I_ put one hand on my hip. "I dunno, think you can keep up with me? Unless you're afraid to lose to a girl."

He gave me a look that told me what he thought of my sanity. "My grades may suck but I can kick ass when the occasion calls for it. As for your being a girl," he gave me a very obvious, pointed once-over, "with the way you look..."

My eyes went Sharingan red. "Boy you better be good because your chances of surviving a spar with me just went down by ten."

"Ten?" He sounded impressed. "Damn. Would it completely zero out if I asked you on a date too?"

Whoa. I stared at him incredulously. "What are you, insane?"

He beamed, his eyes squinting. "Absolutely."

Huh. I think I liked this guy. "All right, I'll spar with you. As for the date… Do you think you can prove to me you'll be worth my time?"

Little did he know I was turning into a jittery mass of nerves inside. My mind raced. Me on a date. A _real_ date. God. I'd never been on a date before! Here I was just meeting this guy for the second time and already… Suddenly the slow pace of my life was speeding up beyond the blink of an eye and I was in danger of being unable to catch up.

Ichigo returned fire. "Can you prove to me you'll be worth mine?"

I turned my head to the side, feigning indifference. He did the same. Our challenging/flirting airs dissolved when we both simultaneously burst out laughing. I held out my hand to him again and he took it. For a moment we just stood there, smiling.

A beam from a flashlight danced on our hands and we looked up, speedily disconnecting. At the edge of the pier a woman stood there, a mixture of relief and annoyance on her features. I knew her right away and waved. Ichigo gave a low groan and shoved his hands down in his pockets, muttering, "Shit, I'm dead." He looked at me and spoke through barely moving lips, "That's my mom."

My eyes opened way up.

Haruno Sakura closed the distance between us. "I knew you'd be out here." She shone the light on me next. "Well…"

"Mom!" he protested between clenched teeth. "It's not what you think!"

"Probably not." Sakura's eyes never left me. "You shouldn't be out here alone, honey, there's a lot of weirdoes prowling around."

"I know." I looked at Ichigo when I said it. He gave me the blackest look and I just rewarded it with a sweet smile. "I'm going home now. It was nice talking to you, Uzumaki. Hope we can have that little get together -" wink - "real soon." To Sakura I bowed politely before vanishing into the night.

Left alone, Sakura gave her son an extremely frank look. _Do you think I'm stupid?_

He put his fist over his heart. "Mom, _c'mon_, this is _me_! I couldn't bag a girl even if I chased one with a net! Eyah!" He ducked when she reached out and mussed his hair affectionately. "Don't do that! C'mon, you'll mess it up!" Pulling away, Ichigo remembered why he'd come out here and sobered. "Are you all right now?" he asked very softly.

Sakura approximated his height and put her arms around him. "_Hai_."

"Can you… can we talk? About it, I mean?" he said treading delicately.

She smiled. "We can."

The boy smiled back.

They walked home together.


	8. Sparring and Dating

I awoke early the next day to the sound of that damn fox scratching somewhere around inside the manor. Desperately trying to ignore it, I pulled the blanket over my head, counted backward from forty and tried to return to the sweet land of dreams. Unfortunately when he knocked something over that made a loud crashing noise, it was apparent Reynard was _asking_ for a violent end to his life. I threw the cover down and vaulted to my feet in one swift, graceful movement. All those years of being unexpectantly awakened in the middle of a sleep cycle had paid off to the point where I could simply kick up my legs, arch my lithe body and land on my feet like a cat.

On my way toward the disturbance, I picked up a wooden baseball bat that I'd left leaning against the wall; it was one of those commercially produced types with the words **_KUNAI & SHURIKEN INC._** emblazoned across the surface. It had been abandoned at a local baseball diamond and deciding that it would make a useful weapon, I had taken it without reservation. Now I was holding it for use while creeping through the corridor toward my unwelcome invader's location. I reached the doorway and peeked carefully around the corner.

There he was my favorite little trespasser. He was clawing frantically at the wall, embedding his claws into the worn wooden surface, trying desperately to get at the food stores I'd stowed away behind there. The loud clattering racket I'd heard had been the pair of ornamental katanas that I'd stood up against the wall temporarily until I found a means to display them. Reynard had knocked them over in his zeal to get at the hidden stores.

Grinning triumphantly, I stepped into the room and slid the door shut behind me with a decisive bang. The fox froze and looked up my way. I flipped the bat down and stood it up at arm's length, palm over the top of the end.

"Well, well," I crowed, smirking at my hapless furry friend. "Looks like we meet again, kit. Didn't expect me to make it that easy for you, huh?"

The fox's upper lip rankled and he growled. His long graceful cat-like body slunk low to the ground, his limpid brown eyes narrowing.

I did it right back.

The creature straightened up and sat back on his haunches. Maybe I was wrong but I could swear he now viewed me with something close to inquisitiveness. Laying the bat aside, I crouched down and tilted my head to the side. "What are you?" I mused aloud. "You avoid everything I throw at you, all the traps I set for you. That fact you're even invading my home is strange. You're not a normal fox, are you?"

He licked his chops and tipped his head in a ghost imitation of mine.

Huh. I studied him carefully for some time. "Tell you what," I began at length. "Let's compromise. If I leave some food out for you, will you leave mine alone? That way I stop wanting to kill you and you can keep coming and going as you please. We can make this mutually beneficial. Heh, maybe you can even leave _me_ a few kills."

The fox never stopped watching me, his ears twitching with my every word. Gradually he rose to his feet once more and started to come toward me. I held my breath and stilled. No wild animal approached a human this boldly. He stretched his neck out and nosed at my hand, which I pulled away immediately, fearing I might be bitten. But he simply nuzzled it again and nudged it until I caught the message. Gently at first I petted him in between his ears, flicking the tops of the downy triangles. He was a very clean animal, I noticed while running my hand over his rich red coat. No sign of illness, ticks or fleas either. As before I admired his transient beauty... he had to be the most perfect example of his species. There was something else I sensed about him, not exactly normal either but I couldn't quite figure out what it was. Oh well, I sensed strange things about everything all the time… it was probably just the creature's remarkable tameness.

"You're beautiful," I murmured, grower bolder as he had been, letting my fingers run down the ruff of his neck and along his smooth back. "Reynard. You won't mind if I keep calling you that?" His ears twitched again. I spoke as I kept petting. "Hn, maybe I should call you Zorro instead. Heh, you wouldn't know who he is, now would you?" I snickered. "Zorro is a human literary hero. He fights for justice and stands up for people who can't do it themselves, carving his mark everywhere he goes so his enemies and his friends know where he's been." I sat down fully and got more into it. "He wears a mask so nobody recognizes him and he always vanishes before you can even blink!" Chuckle. "It's always like that with the heroes. The best ones come when you need them and leave before you can thank them."

"But," I sobered, "if you ask me, there's nothing glorious about being a hero. They rise, they fall and in the end… they lie there dead on the ground like anyone else. That's what it's like here in Konoha…you're not a hero until you're dead and then you're just another etch on the Memorial stone for someone to run his fingers over." I stopped petting the animal, who had rolled over in bliss while I was speaking for tummy scratches. I smiled and complied. He really was like a cat!

"No," I began again after a few rubs. "You're Reynard. You're not a hero nor am I, we're just two creatures trying to make sense out of this mess we call life. Agh," I rose to my feet. "Look at me spewing nonsense. Happy now? You won this battle, you stupid _kitsune_. Be grateful for your renewed lease on life." Opening the door, I shooed the animal out and continued down the hall, bright now with gray early morning light, yawning behind my fingers. A hot cup of green tea would be nice, I decided. I still had some bread leftover from yesterday and a couple of apples. Not the most balanced breakfast but it would give me some energy for the day.

Someone knocked on my front door while I was sipping my tea, sitting in the middle of the nearly empty living room. Sighing, I rose from the old rug and padded to the door, holding the steaming cup. I gave pause for a moment to rake my fingers through my long tresses and tossing them back behind my shoulders. I debated on my nightwear, which were really my father's old castoffs. Well, hell, if someone was coming over so abruptly, they better not expect me to look fresh as a daisy! To hell with looking good.

I opened the door. It was Ichigo. Why was I not surprised? "Oh it's you," I muttered, leaving the door open and returning to my spot, holding the teacup in both hands.

Puzzled, Ichigo hovered on the threshold before taking the unspoken hint and came into the house. His eyes took in all there was to see, which took a relatively short amount of time. "Sorry," he began easing his way toward me before seating himself in front of me at a respectable distance. "I, um, wanted to get here before the temperature went up. Did I wake you?"

"No." I sipped my tea.

"Oh. Good. Uh, when do you… is today good?" Panic mode set in. "I mean, I haven't interrupted anything have I because if I did I'm sorry I'll come back later, if you don't have the time today that's okay, I'll come back tomorrow or whenever, um, you feel like it."

I opened my eyes and regarded him without expression. "You babble a lot."

He blushed and nodded, reaching under his folded knees and rocking back and forth some. "I do," he admitted diffidently. "I don't even know I'm doing it so sometimes people need to tell me to shut up. I don't know why I do it, nervous habit I guess." Shrug.

Nervous habit, huh? I made him nervous. Was it because he liked me or… it was about the training? Maybe both. I wasn't nervous at all though I was feeling some semblance of uncertainty, mostly whether or not if I could seriously be interested in him. I studied him over the rim of my teacup and tried to decide. He wasn't what I normally found attractive in boys that was for sure. He was somewhat shorter than me, his hair was a golden straw color and he had a smattering of freckles across both cheekbones and a faint hint of whisker markings like that of his father, expect the elder Uzumaki's was more prominent. Our eyes met. His large, jade colored orbs that in fuller light had flecks of blue in them bore into me. I felt this electric spark go straight down inside of me. Suddenly I was in a great hurry to find the patterns the tea leaves were leaving on the bottom of my cup. My pulse raced briefly before evening out again.

Oblivious to all of this, Ichigo beamed and bounced up and down. "So _can_ we spar today?"

Finished with the tea, I fought a smile as I got up to dispose of the cup; that eagerness of his was kind of cute. "Of course. It's not very often," I left the room, dressed quickly and returned with my weapons pouch, which I proceeded to strap to my thigh, "I meet someone I feel totally confident I can beat."

The taunt served its purpose, making the recipient leap to his feet angrily. "Hey! No fair in making premature judgments!"

"Premature judgments?" I discreetly tucked a couple of kunai in a few choice places. "Weren't you the same squirrel that spied on me that ran away?" I turned back to him.

"Guh?" He choked and paled. "Wh-What are you talking about?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about, Uzumaki. You recognized me last night even though you didn't say anything and I _don't_ mean when we ran into each other that day either." I eyed him devilishly.

You could have heard a pin drop.

Defeated, his shoulders sagged. "Okay, you got me. I-It's not relevant."

"Could be, if you take threats from unarmed women seriously."

Ichigo glared at me, squaring those same shoulders into resolve. "Whatever. Say what you like. You'll see."

I smirked. "I hope so, tree boy. So…" I went to the still open front door and waited for him outside. "Got a place in mind?" I asked, watching him slide the door shut behind him.

"Hell yeah." The boy grinned, ran forward, grasped my wrist tightly with his hand and dragged me along at a fast clip. "Me 'n' my dad train at this one place all the time. It's right behind his apartment complex."

Okay. Sounded good to me.

Somewhere along the way I regained my wrist and we were running side by side. The whole way there, we hopped across roofs and dodged around obstacles, as much as in fun as it was to show each other's agility. More than once I traded fierce smirks with him, some purely victorious - _Ha, I did it and you couldn't!_ Others I wasn't so sure about. Sometimes I'd pause and slip him the tongue and he would return the favor with an equally childish rebuttal.

Once I watched him try to jump over something - change his mind at the least second - and barely avoided landing on his ass. From a few feet away, I paused and waited for him to look at me.

"Chickenshit," I teased with a perky smile before taking off, knowing _that_ one would make him chase me. And it did.

He caught up and tackled me right in the middle of training area. I half expected someone to yell "SAFE!" I managed to squirm out his grasp and heeled him off in the ribs. He _oof_ed in response, glaring at me before rising to his feet once more and assuming a battle stance.

"Taijutsu?" he offered.

Pinning up my hair, I nodded. I assumed a position and crooked two fingers at him, winking. The fierceness on his face didn't alter, in fact nothing of his countenance did… except for the color in his cheeks. It was amazing, I thought, to have that kind of an effect on a person without even trying.

I'd never sparred with someone my age before. If my opponents did turn out to be my age, they were desperate common little thieves that usually only a show of physical superiority would chase off. Up until today, all my spars had been with my father. In those I was the trainee, which meant not-as-good and far, far behind. Here, it was different. I felt the difference in each block and blow and realized I was better than him.

But not by much.

His moves were cruder and less graceful than mine yet he was quick, learned fast and utilized his movements with a lot more efficiency than I expected from someone at his level. In the beginning I felt him hold back, probably because of some instinctive mandate issued from God above on grounds that I was a _woman_. Eventually though as we progressed, so did his restrictions when he realized I was as unrelenting as any male opponent; I saw the revelation glow in his eyes and he engaged his moves with more purpose, passion and there was no more holding back. It was the highest motion of respect I had ever received from a man. It came close to throwing me off balance, however, I just focused even more sharply and sidestepped it altogether. Save it for later, Uchiha.

Weapons came into play afterward and there I found reason to smirk. His aim _sucked_. Really sucked, I mean we are talking borderline _laughable_. He learned quick about our contrasts in that department and spent most of the time desperately trying to avoid being impaled (often ducking behind training logs) by my flying kunai than trying to return fire. I deliberately adjusted my aim to miss on throws I knew would kill him, although a few narrowly grazed flesh causing him to bleed a bit.

"Okay, time out, stop with the knife throwing!" he shouted from behind his shelter.

I did.

He poked his head out and gasped as a shuriken almost shaved off his spikes. Gasping, Ichigo hid once again. "I thought I said stop!" he called back again.

"You said to stop with the _knife_ throwing. I didn't hear anything about shurikens."

I smiled when I heard him grumble unintelligible curses under his breath. Oh yes I was having the time of my life. "Do you want to stop?" I called, meaning the weapon throwing.

"Yeah." Now he stepped out completely and approached me. "How are you with jutsus? Specialize in anything?"

Casually I stretched an arm behind my head. "I'm decent and I don't exactly _specialize_ in any. Not yet anyway. I just copy what I think will be useful to me."

"Copy?" he was vaguely perplexed. "How do you 'copy' a jutsu?"

"These." I activated the Sharingan and he stared at me in a mixture of fascination and weirded-out horror. "With these eyes I can copy just about any jutsu I see only once. I can see through most genjutsu as well as well as create them. I just awakened the ability a few months ago so I'm still getting the hang of it."

Ichigo kept staring, amazed. "Wow, that is freakin' awesome. So it's one of those Bloodline Limit kind of things?"

"Aa."

Big grin. "Fucking A!" He sobered as it dawned on him. "Aw crap, that means you'll surpass me no matter what I learn. Shit." He rolled his eyes at himself and grabbed a fistful of his wild hair. "Yep, just like me to find the one person I can't beat! Ironic isn't it!"

I pouted. "You're giving me way too much credit."

"I am?"

"Of course!" I spoke through clenched teeth. "Look all it means is I'm a natural born cheater. It's really stupid the amount of fear my clan invokes in people. Sure, we know a lot of jutsus… but did we ever sweat our guts out _perfecting_ them? Has a Uchiha ever done an honest day's ninja work? Probably not!" I laughed and moved around the training area. "I do have a lot of respect for it though," I said softly. "Or will when I can get it back… but I don't want the name Uchiha to be seen for just that. I want everyone to know we're good people, not just geniuses to be feared based on bad karma and genetic destiny. That a Uchiha can be anyone they want to be - and not just a tragic memory." I finally looked at Ichigo who was watching me the whole time.

"But seriously what's _in_ a name?" Ichigo interjected. "What about just _you_, Katana?"

"Me?" I thought about it. "Well, I'm still trying to figure out who me is, Ichigo. Everything in here," I tapped my head, "is still kind of nutty."

He laughed, completely understanding. "Welcome to the wonderful world of puberty!"

"Amen."

Then we grinned like a couple of idiotic little kids sharing a secret. From there we went on to demonstrate a few jutsus to one another, agreeing without words to not reveal to each other everything we knew. It was inherent for a ninja, potential or official, that one day the other could be an opponent or god forbid an enemy and there's nothing worse than knowing your adversary knows exactly what you can do. Even at that age, young as we were, we both understood that.

We were in the middle of another rousing spar when we started to gain an audience. First it was mild, people in the apartment complex watching out of their windows, sitting outside on chairs, happening by. A few Genin (easy to tell by their forehead protectors) who had come to train remained on the sidelines, watching us, occasionally whispering to each other. There was an audible "Whoo!" from people when upon descending from the air I stopped Ichigo by whipping out a long bladed knife that I kept under my dress. Both of his feet came into contact with the flat of the blade and he lightly launched off of it, flipping to land behind me. I looked back at him with a narrow smirk - didn't expect that now did you?

He replied with an equally vicious smirk while whipping out two kunai, spinning them around his fingers for flair. Geez, he was as much a show off as I was!

Cute, I thought, _very_ cute. I rushed at him.

He did the same.

Somehow we both managed to get past our defenses at the same time. Before I knew it, both of his kunai were pressed against the delicate flesh of my neck while the edge of my knife dug in dangerously close to the jugular on his. Both of us with breathing hard sweat beading and running down our skins, our blood roaring in our ears.

"So," Ichigo panted, "you like movies?"

We leapt away from each other, I traded my knife for a couple of kunai of my own and we ran around in a defensive circle, closing in. Metal clinked against metal.

"Haven't seen too many," I replied, getting my breathing under control. "Don't know what's good." I ran at him again and tried for a high kick.

He blocked, saying before I pushed off again, "All right, forget movies." Ichigo moved seamlessly to punch. "You ever been to Ichiraku's?"

I caught his fist and moved it so it went past my head. "Not too crazy about ramen."

"Damn." The boy wrested free, almost buying it when my fist grazed his chin, bruising it. "What about ice cream?" he began, making another determined go for me. Swiftly I rested my hands on both of his shoulders, pushed down and used him to propel myself over throwing his attack off balance and letting me landed unscathed and on my feet on the other side.

"Sure." I smiled dazzlingly when he spun and gave me a wide-eyed reception. "When do you want to go?"

Ichigo wiped some blood off his lips with the back of his hand, panting. "After this fight…unless you have something better to do?"

"I always do… but I'll make an exception." I smiled and relaxed from my battle stance. "Yes, I will."

Ichigo was the picture of pure delighted astonishment before he punched both fists into the air and whooped. "SHE SAID YES!" he yelled to the sky.

We both reddened when everyone around us burst into applause.

"Did you know they were listening?" I muttered low.

"I honestly wasn't paying attention," he grumbled back, embarrassed too.

We quickly decided enough was enough and got out of there. We first went around to the front of the apartment complex, running up the stairs until we got to the landing.

"Why are we going in here?" I asked.

Ichigo stopped in front of the third door on the second floor and fumbled with a key he pilfered from his pocket, twisting it in the lock. "We need to clean up, man, we look like hell. No way am I walking into the ice cream place looking like I'm three sheets to the wind."

"Hn. You probably look like that on a good day," I teased.

Oh yes I was coming to enjoy his dirty looks.

I noticed he had to use his hip and his shoulder to get the door open and found my eyes giving it a quickie examination. To distract myself because I honestly didn't want to have to think about home improvement now I asked, "Stupid question." I closed the door behind me absently looking at the place around me, noticing it contained the usual expected clutter of the single male. Ichigo had disappeared somewhere inside the recesses of the apartment so I remained in the tiny living room. I wasn't the snooping type.

"Fire away," he called back from somewhere.

"Is this your dad's apartment?"

His head poked out from where I assumed the bathroom was. "Yep! Sorry about the mess, he's not good at the housekeeping thing. Neither am I for that matter, heh." The head disappeared again.

While he cleaned up and I waited my turn, I wandered around the living room. Along the windowsill I noticed a series of photos. The first was a duplicate of the one I'd found at the estate, the second I supposed was Naruto's Genin team since I recognized the three kids with him. The last one was more personal and there I had to smile. It was obviously a picture of his parents and Ichigo when he was probably no more than three or four years old. Ichigo was standing up between the two sitting, smiling adults, a hank of hair from each adult's head in his hands. I blinked and looked at the photo a little closer. They had to have been my father's age too when they had him!

Wow. Really, I had no words for that.

Wait. I frowned and tapped my chin. Something was off about this… "Ichigo?" I asked when he emerged into the room, a towel rubbing at his hair.

"Yeah?" His eyes went to the picture too, seeing that I had been staring at it.

"Your last name is Uzumaki… so why does your mother still go by Haruno?" _And why don't they live together?_

"Oh." His eyes dulled and he tossed the towel on a chair. "Um, yeah." Touchy subject this, he became instantly subdued. "My parents aren't married."

"Divorced?"

"No. They, uh, they've never been married but they do share custody of me." He shrugged and fidgeted, meeting my eyes uncomfortably. "Promise you won't tell anyone? This is kind of a touchy thing and, well, we don't need people giving us shit about it. Since my dad is up for kind of an important position - at least I hope so - and it's a public thing. I don't want it hurting his chances so please _please_ don't mention it to anyone."

Why did people always worry about such stupid things? I sighed and smacked him on the arm. "Geez, you don't need to beg, I won't tell. Look, if it makes you feel better, I'm a bastard child myself."

He nodded, showing he already had guessed for himself, noticeably relaxing. Grinning sheepishly he joked, "Guess there's one thing we have in common, huh?" Pointed down the hall, "You can use it now. I cleaned up and put out a new towel and soap so there shouldn't be anything that'll gross you out." Wink.

How thoughtful of him, really, I was becoming sort of impressed with his manners. I snickered, thanked him and moved by him. I missed the self-satisfied congratulatory grin he gave himself and his saying to the ceiling, "Okay, whatever I did to please you up there, all's I gotta say is _thank you very much_!"

It probably was for the best I missed that. I think I would have punched him in the head.

* * *

Ichigo, I found out during our visit to the ice cream place, was an interesting guy. He tried every conceivable way to make me laugh, even going so far as sticking straws up his nose. Most of his antics I just stared at him like he was nuts but a few times I found myself unable to muffle the giggles. Each time I did he looked so proud of himself and so happy it might have broken my heart if I'd known exactly why it mattered so much to him. It went beyond mere attraction - more than anything he was just simply enjoying the attention I was giving him. It sort of clued me in that Ichigo seemed to be a very lonely boy… and so he must have been since during the course of our date he mentioned his mother had duties at the hospital and occasional missions and his father was a Jounin with a team. Except for the occasional get togethers with his friends, Ichigo spent most of his days training alone. Even more so now that most of them had graduated to be become Genin and had no time for him. 

So he was alone. A lot. It wasn't too different from my situation after all. Solitary creatures we were although I accepted the solitude where areas he loathed it. Perhaps this is what attracted him to me, my simple acceptance of it. To me it was natural and when I told him this he seemed intrigued by it.

"So you didn't spend much time with your dad, huh?" He ordered another banana split and requested two cherries.

"No. I spent lots of time with him."

He arched an eyebrow. "Then how come if you were with him all the time it doesn't bother you now that he's gone?"

I shrugged. "I'm used to it. When I became old enough, he used to leave me in bookstores and libraries when we went into town while he did small jobs here and there. Also," I sucked the rest of the now melted ice cream through the straw, "Papa wasn't someone you could get close to."

"Close to?"

"Emotionally."

"Oh." He looked sad. For me. "Why?"

"His family was murdered when he was a small boy," I explained, staring out the window from the booth we were seated in. "His _whole_ family."

Ichigo blinked, innocent green eyes round. "That's… that sucks. I mean, that's terrible, I mean...shit. Who did it?"

I looked at him somberly. "His brother."

Ichigo looked like he'd bitten off his tongue and swallowed it. It was a long time before he was able to speak again. "…Fuck."

_Well,_ I thought sarcastically,_ there we are, nice going Katana._ He could either decide to pull back and decide I was a product of a severely damaged and emotionally screwed up home or he could… Dammit why did I say anything? Honestly I didn't think it was anyone's business and there I went, blurting it out! God, strike me down, I'm here, you won't get an easier shot.

But I panicked for nothing for he soon enough reached across and squeezed my hand. I viewed him with surprise, reading the message in his face. _It's okay, we don't need to talk about it and I'm glad you feel comfortable enough with me to tell me something like that._

Time to change to subject. "So besides endeavoring to be the world's best ninja, what else do you like to do?"

"I like to read," he grinned and for all the world looked like a puppy wagging his tail, "and I like to eat a lot of ramen, like my dad. I also like going to the beach and…and I like making people laugh, heh, guess you already know that one. Neh, what do you like?"

"Besides training?" He nodded. "Well, reading too - lots of it - and ah, singing, stuff that's pretty. I like fixing things… although breaking things is fun too."

"Isn't it?"

We shared demonic grins that quickly turned into contained snickers. Ichigo's banana split with the two cherries arrived, along with the bill. He pulled the stem off one of the cherries, tossed it up in the air and caught it in his mouth. The second one he threw at me with the warning to "Think fast!"

I couldn't react quickly enough and the cherry wound up sticking to my forehead. The boy just about _died_ when that happened. Pressing my lips together in a grim line, I stood up, picked the fruit off and flicked it back at him. My serious expression coupled together with the action just made it even worse and I had to admit a grin was fighting to break out on my face.

Things degenerated into throwing whatever we could at one another, straw wrappers, napkins, straws themselves, until we were asked to leave by a waitress. Ichigo tossed the money down on the counter in the quick rush to chase after me. The woman who'd served us just smiled tolerantly and said aloud to herself: "That's so sweet. First time I've seen him come in here with a girl."

* * *

When he came home six days later after returning from another class C mission with his Genin team, he was greeted with the sound of teenagers inside his apartment. Overall this was normal since his son had several friends he often brought over at odd hours of the day and today didn't seem to be an exception. Recently though he was finding the boy alone more and more often since his friends had other duties as Genin to attend to and had no time to hang out with him anymore. That and the fact it sounded like his companion was a female. 

_A girl?_ Naruto thought, totally shocked. Ichigo hardly even talked about girls, he hadn't even known the boy was even interested in them yet. When had he grown up so fast and how come no one informed him of it? This one was worth investigating.

"You're not doing it right!" said the girl's voice coming from his son's room.

"Then how are you supposed to do it? I always do it like this!" Ichigo replied indignantly.

"You've got to be kidding me. It's wrong!"

"It is not!"

"It is so! Look at it, you seriously expect me to believe that?"

Naruto prayed to the gods above it wasn't what his perverted mind was imagining. They were only twelve for Kami's sake! Damn you Ero-Sennin, he cursed himself, look at what you've done to me! Steeling himself he peeked into the room, the door of which was, thankfully open. He was struck dumb by what he saw.

Ichigo and the Uchiha girl were seated in interfacing positions on the bed scrolls open between them. It was obvious they were practicing hand seals. At first the two didn't notice him and blithely went on arguing.

"Look, here…" Katana grabbed the boy's hands by force and showed him the correct hand seal. "Like that, okay? You keep adding on the last half character like that on the end, nothing will happen. Trust me."

He didn't take his hands away. "But what if I…"

"No."

"Ano sa, let me finish my sentence. If I did it like…"

"No," the girl said fiercely. "You either do it like I showed you or it won't work at all. Any baka can do this so shut up and accept it."

"Can I have my hands back?" he wrested his hands away, turning a very obvious shade of pink. Then he noticed Naruto watching them and turned white with shock. "Hi Dad, uh, we didn't hear you come in."

Katana placed her hands in her lap and smiled at him. "Hello."

Naruto smiled back at her, feeling a sense of déjà vu. Now that he saw what was going on, he remembered his younger self fighting with another certain Uchiha too. From just these few sentences, he could see she had that same abrupt no-bullshit-or-I-kill-you manner as her father. Hers was tempered though and there was no heated resentment in any of their exchanged words.

"When did you get back?" his son asked, breaking the silence.

"Just a few hours ago. I had to turn in the mission report before I could come home. If you aren't doing anything, I'd like to treat you to some ramen."

Ichigo lit up, so happy Naruto felt guilty. The sooner the semester started, the sooner the poor kid could be distracted by school and not have to worry about his busy parents not having time for him. He thought about asking Sakura if they could discuss coordinating their schedules so they could be free at the same time and maybe do something special with the kid. He was alone too much and Naruto would damn his own soul to hell if he was going to let his son grow up thinking his parents were putting their jobs above his needs. It was nowhere near his childhood of demon-caused hell but the loneliness was the same. _And look who he turned to,_ he thought feeling the irony keenly. Right away he decided to keep an eye on this little development since it seemed the two had found each other through their own means (Sakura had never mentioned introducing the two and she would have said something to him right away if she had).

"Can Katana come?" Ichigo piped, paused and then asked her, "Uh, do you want to come?"

Shrug. "Sure."

As they headed out of the room, Naruto noticed as the two got off the bed, Ichigo held his hand out to the girl, she took it without hesitation and hopped down to the floor. It was when they reached the door, Katana said she forgot her purse and ran back down the hall to get it.

Naruto took this chance. "So… where and when did this happen?"

Ichigo flushed and lowered his head. "A few days ago, um, the end of last week. Remember that night Mom was upset?" His father nodded. "Well, she was out on the fishing pier and we got to talking and um, I asked her if she wanted to train together. I asked her out too." Deeper red.

Well. Now that was completely from the pure blue sky! Naruto continued to stare at his son even as the boy kept talking.

"She's really awesome, you should see her fight! For a girl, she's better than most of the guys I've fought!"

"For a girl?" Katana appeared, purse over her shoulder. "Didn't expect to hear something so sexist out of you, Uzumaki." The boy's face darkened. To Naruto she put, "I'm ready."

Letting the kids walk ahead of him, he watched Ichigo silently grumble to himself, mostly berating his own idiocy until Katana poked him in the ribs. He stopped muttering and poked her back. Soon he began running his mouth as he wont to do (like me, Naruto thought, the kid has all my bad habits), while the girl remained silent and replied occasionally to direct questions. You would have thought the two had known each other for a while although Naruto caught the measured looks the girl kept favoring Ichigo with, sizing him up, like she was trying to decide something. Or maybe it was just a variant of that look Sakura had told him girls gave guys to act like they were listening. Damned if he knew.

Ichigo tripped suddenly and in falling grabbed the girl's arm for balance. Startled, Katana staggered before falling down with him.

"You klutz!" she smacked him upside the head as she accepted Naruto's helping hand. "Be mindful of your surroundings!"

"Sorry, sorry," Ichigo muttered, climbing to his own feet unaided.

Katana swiped off her dress and glared at the boy. "And the next time you trip and fall, leave me out of it." She smiled at Naruto. "Thank you." Then she moved on.

He grinned back. "No problem." To Ichigo he gave him a mildly despairing Look. "Just out of morbid curiosity, when you first asked her out, what did she say?"

"If I could prove to her that I was worth her time." Ichigo shrugged and hurried to catch up with his date, breathlessly asking to her wait for him. Naruto shook his head. _Sakura-chan and me were like that, _he reminisced wistfully, _I just hope they have a better ending than we did_. He hoped nothing changed after school began because he knew for a fact those 'summer things' especially between kids became 'winter things' thanks to healthy doses of peer pressure where disregarding the differences and reputations would become difficult to ignore.

_Neh, they've got the advantage here,_ he countered swiftly catching up with the two. _They were able to make their own first impressions so they have no colored biases toward each other. That's what makes this different._

When they got to the ramen stand, while they waited for their orders, Ichigo was seized by the sudden need to visit the men's room and lit out.

"Does he always run everywhere he goes?" Katana asked, arching a graceful eyebrow. "It's like his tail is on fire all the time."

Naruto merely shrugged, shoving several meters of noodles down his throat. "Pretty much. I think he's afraid he'll miss important stuff so he figures if he runs, he'll miss a lot less."

"That's crazy."

"Heh, sure is, but it's his own way of feeling in control. Can't begrudge him for that."

"_In_ control?" she sounded dubious. "I would think you would mean _out_ of control. If I did that, my father would smack me upside the head and threaten to use trank darts on me - and then do it." She seemed to think this was a touchy subject for she looked at him permissively.

Smiling a little, Naruto waved. It was okay.

Katana spun around on her swivel seat, exactly like a kid, before facing him again. "What was he like? You know, when he was a kid."

"Sasuke?"

Nod.

Anti-social, a bastard, cold, dark, obsessed… his rival, his best friend in the entire universe. There was just so much to say.

"You don't have to… say good things." Katana heard his silence. "I mean, if there aren't any, it's okay."

Naruto exhaled. "No, there were good things. Lots!" He forced himself to think back, forced himself to push aside his own inner avoidance for the girl's sake. She wanted to know so he would tell her… as much as for her as for himself. "He was the number one rookie of our class… pretty much the best at everything. All the girls were in love with him, all the boys admired him, either that or didn't care." He paused and then went on. "After graduation he and I got put on the same Genin team along with Sakura-chan under our _sensei_ Hatake Kakashi." Here he couldn't help smiling; those memories were still good, still untainted by time. "At first we hated each other… he was always showing me up, I was always messing up. I was determined to beat him."

"You were rivals?" she asked.

"Yep… though I didn't understand that's what it was, really. I'd see Sakura-chan and her rival Ino face-off and wonder why they acted like that, not getting it was the same thing between Sasuke and me." Shrug. "I was kind of a dim bulb... but don't tell anyone I said that, m'kay?" Wink.

Katana simply smiled. "'Kay." Then she said, "So you guys were rivals first and then best friends. But then the thing with Orochimaru happened…" Naruto was shocked that she knew about him, "…and things were never the same." She sighed when he acknowledged it with a sad nod. "In the end when he left to seek power from this guy, you tried to stop him and he in turn tried to kill you. Correct?"

Naruto nodded, words failing him.

Katana closed her eyes, her small shoulders seeming to sag. It seemed an eternity before she spoke again. "He gave it up," she whispered.

"What?"

She opened her eyes. "Seeking power from that snake-man. He gave it up a long time ago."

Naruto nodded, vaguely. "I was about sixteen when I heard about it. Sound just went crazy after he disappeared and things got really intense. Almost went on the brink of another war." He stared down at the girl, smiling a little. "For years I wondered about it but now with you here, I guess it'd be kind of stupid not to be able to see the answer."

Katana folded her arms on top of the counter. "He… didn't want to have to do it but… he didn't want Orochimaru to know about me. So he went into hiding to protect me and put his revenge on the backburner. I know it took a lot for him to do that for me… Once," she began, "he found out Itachi was in the _same town_ as we were. I was only four at the time, had a bad cold and was up nights crying." Katana pressed her lips together in consternation. "Needless to say, he spent a whole week with That Man within arm's reach taking care of me. Later I tried to say I was sorry but he just told me he didn't want to hear about it." At that moment, her order arrived she snapped apart her chopsticks and twirled the noodles together.

Naruto stared at the girl sympathetically before returning to his own food. Really, what could he say to that? Who could? Yet there was one thing he wanted to know… "Katana," she looked up, "was he with you when you saw me that first time in the woods?"

The girl dropped her gaze into her bowl. Slowly she nodded. "I asked him who you were and he said that you were his best friend."

No more could said after that for Ichigo returned then, complaining loudly about public restroom facilities, starting in about what he'd found while in there before getting clocked by Katana with a, "We're eating, don't be disgusting!"

Naruto left the kids to their own devices, plunging deep into thought.

Even after this many years…

* * *

Author's Note on Character Ages::sighs: I did the math before I did this fic, people,so I shall say it once. It is concieveable that both Katana and Ichigo are the same ages. Sasuke was 16 when he found out he had a daughter because if you remember in the 1st chapter he happened to revisit the inn very shortly after she born (coincidence, YES, would YOU visit the same watering hole that served you when you were underage twice?). Naruto and Sakura had their 'thing' probably somewhere several months before Sasuke revisited that inn. Another coincidence.Also nowhere does it say in the text that no one knows Sakura is a mother... what Ichigo clearly stated is that no one knows is that his parents aren't married.I like to think Konoha is a big enough town that not everyoneknows everything about everyone's lives. I think I explained in the 1st chapter's author's note that this story takes place roughly fifteen to twenty years years later-- I am factoring in the three yeartime gap as well. 


	9. Kissing and Shopping

"So Katana… I was thinking…"

Ichigo was lying on the back porch of the Uchiha estate, legs up over a chair seat instead of sitting up and on it properly. It was an absolutely insanely sweltering day, which made it no good for training and not much good for anything else except lazing about in the shade all day. Providentially neither one of us had the energy for more productive, substantial pursuits. Nearby I was perched on the edge, mending an old shirt of my father's. I had made several alterations already to the garment, making it more suitable for every day use. Like any girl, I wanted something attractive and feminine, something that didn't hide too much of me yet was casual and appropriate. That meant the wide collar had to go for a more flexible V cut (although I made sure the cut didn't go down _too_ far).

"First time for everything." I replied without pausing in my ministrations.

"Oh shut up." He curled his lip at me in a mock snarl and pillowed his head behind crossed arms. "Ne, whatever. Fine."

There was a long break. I stopped working and knocked on the wood to get his attention.

"Yeah?"

"You said you were thinking?" I prompted. I was coming to learn once distracted, Ichigo had a tendency to forget about his initial purpose for speaking.

He dulled and brightened in one fluid transition. Light off, light on. "Yeah!" Propping himself up on one elbow, he half sat up. "Got a proposition for ya! You know the semester is starting tomorrow, right?"

"Aa." Sewing was so fluid and breezy.

"Well, my mother asked me to ask you if… you wanted to go shopping with her tonight. For a new outfit, I mean. Not that…" he stuttered apprehensively, "that there's anything wrong with your old clothes, heh, my mom just thought you might like something to add to your wardrobe. You don't have to if you don't want to, it's just suggestion, it's not really important or anything…"

This boy was going to die of self-inflicted nerve damage one of these days. Eventually he would learn that for the most part I was more laid back than I seemed. Truly men found silent girls intimidating for they could not guess as to what went on in our incomprehensible heads. Right now this one looked like he was going to turn purple or some other less natural skin color. "Ichigo." I told him frankly with a pointed Look. "Come up for air."

He quit his torrent of incoherence, blinking rapidly. "Huh? Wha… Air?" Frown. "But I'm not… I'm not drowning. I'm not even in any water."

I rolled my eyes. Boys! "Never mind. Yes, I would love to go shopping with your mother. Unfortunately I don't have any money." I picked up the shirt, held it up to look at it before folding it over to pull out a choppy stitch and start over.

He grinned squinty eyed, pushing to sit up all the way. "That's okay! She'll take care of everything and… and if you ask her, I'm sure she'll let you pay her back on your own time. Unless it's my dad, she's not weird about people owing her money."

"Why only your dad?"

"Because he never remembers… and those kinds of things tend to add up, heh." Ichigo watched the smile play on my lips and smirked. Rolling over in a lazy somersault, he parked it next to me. I didn't bat an eyelash, not even when he scooted closer and rested his head on my shoulder. A light blush spread across my cheeks and a tight grin fought to keep from cracking my face.

It was taking time, this being a couple thing. Neither of us was sure how to be around each other since 'being more than just friends' required more than talking and sparring together. This was a first for the both of us… and strangely the more time I spent with Ichigo, the easier it was becoming. I couldn't see why most girls wouldn't like the boy. He was sweet, eager to please, ready for a hug no matter if there was a reason behind it or not, respected women, polite and his smiles were pervasive and easy. Those were some of the stock reasons why I liked him but there were a few others. Others most girls would find a big turn off. I liked trading taunts with him. I liked the way he looked at me while we fought. I liked how he wasn't afraid to treat me with the same roughness as he would another guy i.e. twisting my arm while thumb wrestling and pinning it behind my back until I either called mercy or freed myself. And I never called mercy.

Ichigo grew restless, sneaked his arm around me in a pretense of, well, putting an arm around me before he suddenly swiftly snatched the shirt away. I protested, "What the hell are you doing, baka?" grabbing for it frantically, only to be kept at bay with one arm, the shirt being held up and away by the other. "Give it back."

"No." The dumbass grinned impishly. I lunged for it again and landed half on top of him - which when I realized, cursing myself, was exactly what he had been aiming for. I could tell from a faint degree of uncertainty he was trying to flirt with me more aggressively. I stayed where I was. Ichigo didn't move either, obviously wondering now that he had me right where he wanted me, _what_ to do with me._ Or wondering what retribution I might inflict on him. _Our faces were so close. I could feel his hot breath ghosting along my cheeks and lips.

Uh-oh. I think I know what he wants. Question is, can I take this step? Kami, it feels like my heart is going to explode.

Ichigo's gaze flickered over the contours of my face and he smiled slightly, nearly apologetically, as if to say _Sorry, are we moving too fast?_

Oh hell with it. _Carpe diem, dammit!_

I closed a few more inches and rested my forehead against his. It was too hot for this, already everything in me was telling me to pull back, too close, too much. Staying like this, I waited for Ichigo to make his decision. Would he chicken out now that I had stepped up to the challenge?

At my action, the boy swallowed and I felt him shift scarcely, resting weight on one arm while lifting the other to lightly brush my cheek awkwardly, hesitantly. But he didn't pull away.

"You want this?" I breathed, keeping our eyes locked.

"Um… I-I guess."

"You guess?" I repeated gently mocking. I tilted my chin up slightly, closing my eyes, wondering if I was doing the right thing. This is what the heroines in my books did they all did that, so it must be right? Right?

When I felt his lips brush oh so lightly against mine, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Thanks to years of training, every muscle twitch was kept firmly locked in place. To encourage him (and myself) I pushed back carefully, my hands unconsciously coming up to rest on his shoulders. In turn I felt him sit up straighter, his own hands drifting down to rest lightly on my hips. The screaming girl part of my brain squealed _that's okay but his hands need to stay where they are!_ Where else would they go? I found myself wondering. Yes, I was still kind of naïve when it came to these kinds of matters, despite the things I knew. Clinically and technically I could paint out what was supposed to happen… although when it came to applying the same concepts to a real life situation involving _me_, it was as if I knew nothing at all.

Poor Ichigo was in a bad way - I could feel him trembling. Nonetheless showing some of that Uzumaki grit he grew bolder and drew me in closer, tilting my head back a little more. I bunched the material of his shirt in my fists once before we simultaneously pushed off of each other in one careful but firm motion. We were breathing hard, more because we had been holding our breaths than because of anything the kiss had caused. Our faces were flushed but at the same time withdrawn and shocked.

_I can't believe we just did that,_ both of us thought, glancing at each other quickly before looking away again.

As you could imagine, it was a long time before either of us was brave enough to break the silence that had descended.

"So… I need to go. Home. Stuff to do. Mom'll be by later, m'kay." Ichigo shot up and jumped to the ground, turning back to me with a salute. "_Sayonara_!" Then he was off like a shot.

I let him go. We both needed the space and bless him a thousand ones for sensing that. When he was gone, I brought hands over my face and mouth. _My first kiss, that was my first kiss! I can't believe it I haven't even known him that long, well, guess that's okay because well it's just a kiss. But it's my _first_ kiss so…that means something. But what does it make us now, truly? I feel so many weird things._

Meanwhile Ichigo was running home with a wide happy grin his face. He had decided that having a girlfriend for a sparring partner was the coolest thing in the world. No matter what else that might happen for the rest of the year, nothing could top today… except maybe graduating and becoming a Genin.

* * *

Sakura set out that evening knowing what her destination was and still not quite able to wrap her brain around it. Not until she started to make those familiar turns and shortcuts that so long ago she had navigated expertly, proudly, smug in her knowledge that it was she, Haruno Sakura, who had memorized where _the_ Uchiha Sasuke lived. It was something most of those vicious fan girls back in the Academy days had only been able to fantasize about. After the assigning to Team 7 the path transformed into a journey to disappointment, knowing each day she knocked on his door in her girlish ambition was met with it slamming, if not literally, in her face. After he was gone, it had taken some time to abandon that weary, lovelorn path. For as many years that passed, Sakura entertained the hopeful notion she had finally forgotten only to find that her excellent memory had yet again proven to be nearly infallible. _Damn it, you traitor,_ she cursed the latent Inner Sakura who had sneaked around back and slipped the information under her nose before sneaking away again with an evil snicker. Yeah. That damn inner voice had been silenced… but sometimes she came out when least expected. 

The noise of the town gradually died away, which would have been eerie if Sakura wasn't expecting it. Soon she was passing what looked like a construction site, a sharp reminder that most of the Uchiha clan buildings had been torn down, making it easier to find the estate among the remaining foundations. A lone tower that once lorded over the compound now lorded over dry dirt, the faded red and white fan emblem standing out like the old dusty relic of the past it was. Sakura paused to gaze at it, feeling the token sorrow one usually felt when staring at something that had once been great and now was as if it had never been. Such were the many sides of Konoha.

Not so lost, she was reminded approaching the manor more doggedly. For the first time she could see candlelight at its windows and as she drew closer, evidence that someone was living there. Under the early evening light, as she entered the yard, Sakura noted her surroundings. With an amused sigh, she noticed the traps that bordered the perimeter. None triggered as she waded through, she dismantled them easily, and tuttering under her breath about how it was a good thing that girl was going to school so she could learn a thing or two about trapping. These were for at best good enough to trap the casual interloper or a wild animal but a trained shinobi? No. But Sakura doubted that this was the worst of the girl's faults.

Going up the path to the door, Sakura noted, with a soft smile, that two metal and oak wind chimes had been hung out, the gentle tinkles and clinks the only sounds on the mostly quiet estate. It was perhaps a bit late in the summer for wind chimes but Sakura understood the reason for their presence. One of them she actually recognized with some surprise. It was the one Sasuke had made back in school when they had been really little. Everyone had made such a fuss! She smiled at the memory, remembering it being one of the few times she'd caught the boy blushing. It made her wonder how much of Sasuke's personal things Naruto had saved.

Reaching the door, Sakura was met with another surprise… was that a plaque? It was obviously hand carved. It was apparent whoever had made this had spent a great deal of time on it. Squinting at it more closely under the waning light, she could make out words:

FALL SEVEN TIMES,

STAND UP EIGHT

She knocked.

When the door opened, Sakura jumped back in faint alarm as a furry streak of red hurried out. It was gone before the door finished opening all of the way, revealing a sleepy eyed twelve year old girl rubbing at the corners of her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"What was that?" Sakura blurted, staring off in the direction the red blur had disappeared.

"My roommate." Katana hid a yawn. "Sorry. I fell asleep. Heat knocked me out, hope you don't mind." She smiled apologetically.

The pink haired mednin shrugged it off. "It's all right." Noticing that a lock of the girl's had turned over the wrong side, she reached out and brushed it back over. Katana became a little more awake, her smile going a mite nostalgic before she rapidly raked her fingers through the voluminous waterfall of black/blue. "Let me get my sandals." She backed away, fisting the hair into a ponytail and binding it up as she moved further into the home. "Come in if you want. Sorry that there's nowhere to sit, I'm still trying to get my shit together."

She did. Sakura disregarded the girl's crude language, as the teen didn't seem to have noticed the potential rudeness of it. Either that or she didn't care. Like her father, she was a hard one to read.

While Katana disappeared off into the recesses of the home, Sakura gazed around the living room. The Uchiha estate was a far cry from when the father had lived here. There was barely any furniture, no electricity (hand lanterns and candles took care of the lack of light) and it looked as if several places had been repaired or were in the midst of being repaired. Very clean though, no dust anywhere and it had a light dusky pine scent like that of floor cleaner. Despite the emptiness, it was apparent it was a home in the process of becoming one.

Wandering by the mantle piece, Sakura noticed a lone framed picture standing in the center. A jolt went through the woman. The Team 7 photo! It was the only keepsake the three members had ever shared. The last time it was seen had been lying facedown when Sasuke had left. Now it was back, still in its old frame, standing defiantly against the dust of time.

"I found that." Katana appeared beside Sakura. "It was the least depressing picture out of Otosan's belongings. I'm surprised Papa and Naruto didn't do comedic theatre in their spare time."

Sakura bit back a chuckle.

The girl shrugged. "Well, I'm ready to go, unless you'd like the tour." She went to the front door and pushed it open with her foot. "This place isn't much to look at it unless you believe in haunted houses although if you ask me the only thing that haunts _this_ place are spiders and termites."

"No thank you. I'm sure when it's ready, you'll be dragging me through it." Both women started down the walkway and headed towards down town.

As they wove through the evening crowds, Sakura studied the girl. She carried herself very well hands together before her with fingers loosely clasped and chin held straight and high. It wasn't even done consciously. Under the streetlights her finely combed tied hair trailed between her shoulder blades, faintly rippled from being braided so often. The pale skin on her bare arms and legs showed numerous nicks and small faded scars.

"We're going to a clothes shop I usually frequent," she began, "they sell clothes for girls your age as well. Does that sound all right?"

"Yes, it does." Katana lost some of her restraint and actually sounded enthusiastic when she added, "I've never been clothes shopping before. I usually had to make all my own clothes myself out of whatever we could grab."

Upon reaching the outlet and entering, Sakura decided to keep neutral and casual with her conversation. She wanted to sound politely interested so the girl wouldn't feel like she was being interrogated.

Katana genuinely seemed to enjoy picking out clothes, finding her size and marveling at all of the different colors that were available. It brought out the feminine side of her that Sakura sensed had been too often pushed on the flank. Though she barely knew the child or spent enough time around her, based on her son's excited babbles, Katana sounded like a complete tomboy. Evidence arrived in the form of the girl not knowing her bra size and when asked how she dealt with it, she admitted, "I just wore a tight shirt underneath. I, ah, didn't even notice until Papa told me I was getting too old to be 'running around like that.' " She darkened. "It took me forever to figure out what he meant."

_Ever the ambiguous one._ Over the clothes rack, Sakura murmured aloud, "Really. I wonder how he dealt with your period?"

"Pretty well, actually," the girl replied, eyes all for the dark red dress she was holding up. "He surprised me with that one."

The pink haired woman glanced up a bit chagrined she had blurted that thought aloud. She also possessed the embarrassing explanation as to why Sasuke might have not been bothered by it.

"I think I can clear that up. When we were younger, Naruto and Kakashi were dealing with an issue leaving Sasuke and me alone to hold the fort at our charge's home. Now you know how sometimes you make that mistake when you're sure you have plenty but then you discover you don't and that leaving the bathroom at this point is no longer an option?"

Katana nodded. "Too well."

Sakura's lips turned up. Until now she had never shared this tale with anyone simply because Sasuke made her swear up and down _never_ to tell anyone about it. She had kept the promise…Until now.

"Well, try saving your female pride yelling through the door at your _male_ teammate that you need tampons and you need them _now _and that if he didn't get them _now_ he'd find himself waking up in the morning in the most horrible way imaginable." Sakura turned a hue to clash with her hair. "I guess I could thank God I was on the rag because normally I never would have spoken that way to him."

Katana peered up, intrigued. "Did he get them?"

The older women held up her hand. "Five boxes."

The girl snickered. "Heh, that definitely clears things up. I got him trained to realize when I was getting mine without actually needing to say anything."

"How?" Sakura spun the clothes rack and plucked off an outfit to drape over her arm. _Okay self-confession time, _she admitted inwardly, _I went shopping for myself as much as for her. Sakura you closet clothes horse._

"Frequent stops." Katana plucked off one last outfit to add to her arm and then looked around for a dressing room. Sakura pointed, the girl nodded and with girlish glee rushed across the small store and disappeared behind the beige curtain. The thick cloth swished and flapped in the aftermath.

Just outside of the dressing space, Sakura seated herself in a chair provided by the management. Secretly she was glad they were the only customers at the shop tonight, it made the girl a lot more comfortable.

"May I see?" she called to the teenage girl after a few minutes.

"Aa. In a moment, I'm, ah," embarrassed laugh, "having a bit of trouble with the zipper… Damn."

"Don't force it." Sakura debated on whether or not to go in there and stayed put.

"I'm not." There was a grunt and then a frustrated grumble. "Argh, this sucks. Okay, forget this piece of crap." There was an audible sound of cloth scraping against skin. "I don't know how anyone can move around in this stuff. I mean, where am I supposed to put anything?"

Amusement quirked Sakura's lips. "These clothes aren't for combat, honey. They're just to wear."

Katana's hand poked out from behind the curtain. "I don't like this one. Too much gray."

"Too much?" Sakura let her eyebrows rise. "Hmm, wouldn't gray help you to blend in the night better?" she teased.

"But I just… well, it's _ugly_."

Good enough reason not to wear it as any. Sakura retrieved the offending garment and handed it off to the proprietor who she exchanged a few pleasantries with. She genially asked if the girl was her daughter. Sakura said no, she was just taking a friend's daughter out shopping for some clothes for the new school semester because he didn't have the time for it. Oh too bad, said the owner, for she was a very pretty young lady and the father was missing out. Not knowing what else to say Sakura shrugged and simply replied, well, some things just can't be helped, which was true enough.

After a few more minutes the owner went away. Sakura called to the girl, "You ready?"

"…I guess."

The sullen reply piqued the woman and she leaned forward slightly, concerned. Had she heard that conversation? Sakura bit her lip, cursing inwardly. "Katana, is something wrong?"

"No. Not… well, yes." There was a long silence. "I don't want to come out. Can you come in instead?"

"Sure." Sakura stood and pushed the curtain aside. There was more than enough room for two people in the dressing space, in fact, five girls could have comfortably fit in there with more than enough elbow room. It was what it was made for. Usually Sakura had a tough time changing because sometimes it with overloaded with as many as seven women at a time trying on outfits. Tonight Katana was alone and the small dark haired girl seemed to make the relatively small space huge. Her presence was very undefined, Sakura observed pityingly. With very little difficulty she could imagine her disappearing in a crowd or sitting in the back of a classroom. She was just that sort of person.

Right now Katana was sitting on the floor in front of the mirror, head lowered. She was wearing one of the dresses, the crimson colored one with the mid-riff showing (personally she thought the girl was way too young to be wearing that). One arm was loosely covering her middle. Sakura watched her for a moment before cautiously kneeling by her side. Gently she touched her shoulder and waited.

"I like this outfit." Katana's voice was very quiet, calm, almost serene. "It fits me perfectly and it doesn't itch at all. I think the color looks really good on me."

There was more to it. Sakura blinked. "Then what's the problem?"

Katana took her arm away.

Across the bare skin of her stomach was a long scar that looked like it had once been a deep wound. It was too prominent not to be noticed and looked like it had to have been - _oh God!_ Sakura thought with an inner grimace - _hand_ stitched closed. Unable to find the words to soothe her, Sakura just settled comfortably beside the girl, waiting. She didn't know how to comfort her although all of her maternal instincts screamed at her to _hug the girl dammit that's what she needs! _

She may not want me to.

"It was a shuriken." Katana seemed to have a knack for answering the questions most people were too polite to ask. "A big one caught me right there," she smoothed her hand over her stomach. "Part of it stuck into the tree so I was pinned and nearly impaled at the same time. It…It didn't hurt, it's weird the worst wounds always hurt the least, don't they?" Sakura nodded, she had seen this too many times over not to know. "But-But there was blood everywhere and all I kept thinking was… 'Am I going to die now? This is a stupid way to die.'" She lifted her head. "Papa couldn't find me at first. He saw me hit but the thing sent me way back down in the forest down into a gully. He only found me because my blood had left a trail on the leaves. Gross, huh." There was no humor in her voice. "He was so nice about it while he was patching me up … he was scared out of his mind, I saw it in his face, but he never lost his cool. By then it was hurting and I could hardly breathe but he… he kept talking to me and he kept saying these really stupid things to make me smile. Heh." A faint one flickered in and out. "I guess it would have to be on the worst day of my life that he'd act like a real dad."

After a moment of silence, the girl's blank countenance grew hard. "No. I don't like this dress after all." She pointed to the full dark green dress hanging nearby. "I'll take that one."

"Sure. Whatever you want," Sakura agreed softly.

Katana nodded and her face started to crumble and she put a hand over her face to cover the tears threatening to break from her dark eyes. When she blinked, they ran and feeling the hot itchy tears running down her face, she totally broke down, her sniffs and quietly choked sobs prompting Sakura to completely abandon her prior convictions. She tentatively put an arm around the girl's shoulders and was relieved when the girl turned toward her and allowed the other woman to hold her.

"I miss him so much," Katana managed through choked tears, in her quiet way. "Tell me, Sakura, when does it stop hurting? Does it ever stop hurting?"

Sakura smoothed the girl's hair and wished she had the answer. Maybe then there wouldn't need to be so many tears. _If God didn't want us to feel pain,_ she thought, _then we shouldn't have been given hearts._

Such was the life of the ninja. Such were their lives.


	10. Part 2: Clouds Over the Moon

_Author's Note: This chapter jumps ahead in time. I thought completely fleshing out Katana's entrance into the Academy and the progression of the school year would be a bit, hm, tedious. This chapter opens with her relationships with other characters already established. Only the important ones i.e. Naruto, Sakura and Ichigo had needed to be cultivated and fleshed out._

_**PART 2**_

_**Tsuki Ni Muragumo  
**_(Clouds Over the Moon)

__

Ten Months Later

"I'm getting really sick of this rain."

"Tell me about it. At least we found shelter in time."

"… True." The man in ANBU style fatigues wearing a bird mask turned away from the mouth of the cave and nodded to their silent companion. "Oi."

The third man glanced up. He was dressed exactly the same as the other two men save the wolf mask that denoted his codename. He had been staring into the rain vacantly for a while now, still as a statute.

"When this lets up, you're point man. I need to know what's up ahead before I send my men through that pass."

Wolf nodded.

The man in the bird mask turned to the second man who was wearing a dog mask thus his name being Dog. "You cover his back, clean up whatever he misses…"

"Hn."

"_Might_ miss." Bird rolled his eyes under his mask. He didn't know why the man was so hypersensitive to criticism - and it wasn't his business to ask or care. He was just happy to have someone like him as part of the group, even though he was doing it out of obligation rather than because he actually _wanted_ to be there. Too bad nothing was riding _his_ ass, Bird gave an inner grumble. Win or lose, it didn't matter to him. Even if he hadn't said so himself, it would have been an easy guess.

Dog poked Wolf in the side with a muted chuckle. "Don't be a stick in the mud. I don't want to be here anymore than you do. I mean, I _do_ want to be here, it's just… Shit." He abandoned the train of thought. "Look on the bright side," he said cheerfully, "after this you'll get to go home."

The man shifted from a crouch to a full sitting position, one knee up. His normally toneless voice held a hint of longing. "I haven't thought of that word for a long time now."

Bird leaned against the cave wall and eyed him through his mask's eyeholes. "Yes, considering." Pause. "Well, what about her?" he suggested offhandedly.

Wolf looked at him again and waited for the other elaborate.

"Isn't she worth going home to?"

The man looked away again. "Yes."

"But…?" Dog prompted, hearing the unsaid hovering in the air. When the man didn't reply, he poked him again. "Come on, you ain't getting out of answering. Spit."

At length, Wolf relented reluctantly. "There are… conflicting circumstances."

"Such as…"

"Me."

Bird tilted his head to the side, faintly amused. "Heh. Never thought you'd change your mind."

"What are you talking about?" Wolf's query was deadly, measured.

"Well, the last time you were with us," Dog pointed out, "that's not what you said. What you're saying now is completely different. Now you're saying it's you."

Wolf did not reply immediately. "I don't see how this is relevant."

Bird shrugged. "It's not. Just sounds like you're making excuses… You know what I think?" He inclined his neck and grinned wide under the mask. "You're afraid."

He _felt_ the other man's glare this time.

The rain let up then and the three masked men were finally able to leave the cave, which they did swiftly and silently. The downpour had cost them valuable time and they continued their mission with great haste.

* * *

I've always believed time was an illusion, almost like the way some people think age is just a number. You know it's not pertinent to your condition until it catches up with you all in one go. I suppose the Fifth had realized this while she was pretending to fish around for the next Hokage… playing the bait along the bottom, watching the one she had chosen as her successor a decade ago try to swim hard enough and long enough to catch up. For long now I'd known this was a part of their quirky relationship: make him wait and wait and wait until he blew his top.

But he surprised me because Naruto wasn't what I liked to call a patient man. Believe me, if you were the one who did maintenance on his place for a small sum and had to be the one to tell him, sorry, there are some things that I can fix and then there are some things where, well really, I'm not your fucking plumber. Well, you just knew.

In so many words at least, I couldn't actually _say_ those things to him. Oh I _could_, he wouldn't get mad at me, but there were few reasons why. One, he was sponsoring my education out of his own free will. Two, his son was my best friend/boyfriend. Three, I had the world's biggest crush on him.

I know how it sounds, a crush on my boyfriend's dad. How's that for sick? I didn't even know that's what it was until my female friend, Hyuuga Tomoe, witnessed me talking to him one day while she was with me and when he walked away, she stared long and hard at me. When one of those Hyuugas looks at you out of penetrating silver-white eyes, it's not a pleasant experience. I pretended not to notice, though I knew I damn well couldn't fool her.

She confronted me about it three days before graduation during a spar. Tomoe had her foot on my chest, positioned right between my ribs where if she wanted to, could press down hard and crack about three of them in one go. At the beginning of the semester, that wouldn't have been too farfetched. She had hated me something fierce, partly out of ignorance and partly out of jealousy. The boys had descended like vultures the minute I sat down in that classroom. It was scary, it was flattering as hell and naturally it made most of the other girls absolutely despise me.

Naïve little me just thought initially, wow, I can't believe so many people want to be my friend. At the time, I didn't understand the female subculture at all - so thus was hurt and puzzled as to why I kept getting treated like crap by my own sex. I didn't understand why Ichigo got so tight lipped and possessive while we were at school, often getting into fights with the other boys. There was once an up roar because he tangled with the top rookie and almost wound up in the hospital. I was puzzled, of course… perplexed. I hadn't known the guy was even interested in me. When I finally approached him and asked him what was going on, he just lifted his chin defiantly and said, "Uzumaki just made a stupid assumption about my interest in you. I _am_ interested in you but not for relationship reasons. Best you make sure that gets through his thick skull before he mouths off again otherwise I won't be responsible for what happens." Message received.

But after that incident I took note of my surroundings and found all of it - the social structure, the back biting - to be petty and irritating. This insane cloud of jealousy and resentment following me around was ruining my life (and Ichigo's although respectively most of it was his own doing). So I endeavored to end it once and for all and did so in one momentous incident.

One of the most sought after boys approached me during a break from a class survival exercise. I was reading a book, totally engrossed as usual, and only gave him a token glance when he drew near. Ichigo had been sitting up a tree across the way talking it up with two other guys on the ground.

This boy, whom out of respect for his family I shall leave nameless, became impatient with my lack of interest in his regaled presence and snatched the book out of my grasp. Out of my grasp. He actually took the book OUT OF MY HANDS WHILE I WAS READING IT.

Ichigo's mouth dropped open.

My gaze slowly rose up and my eyes narrowed in barely suppressed rage. Screaming at all of my senses to remain calm, I stood up gradually and politely asked the creature for my book back. Thinking he was playing hard to get, or being cute, whichever, he refused. I asked again, this time more firmly and less patiently. He still refused.

I took a deep breath. Found my calm center. Lost my calm center. By this time everyone was watching us. This is what immediately went through my mind: _Fuck this._ If this baka was going to lower himself to act like those assholes I used to have to deal with out in the world then I was going to treat him just like them.

Using that feared Uchiha speed, I punched him out cold took my book back and just went back to reading. Everyone heard me mutter, "Moron made me lose my place."

Needless to say the Academy was _not_ happy with me after that. If several students hadn't spoken up for me and offered their support, I might have gotten a sharper reprimand. About the only embarrassing thing that happened was when they had to call my sponsor in about it. I think I spent that whole conversation with him hiding behind my hands.

Anyway that was how I won Tomoe's respect and eventually her friendship. She was a worthy spar of course, coming from the Hyuuga clan (the Branch House) and they trained their offspring to be exceptional in the art of ass kicking. Affectionately we called each other rivals although we preferred being friends. Any and all tough talk was just for show and our personal amusement.

So it was with me at her mercy that she stated it frankly: "You have a crush on Uzumaki-sensei."

Was I the only person who didn't call him that? I pushed off her foot and pulled myself up until I was sitting Indian style on the ground. There was enough sense that she didn't knock out of me that I had the wit to play dumb. "I have a what on who now?"

The brunette leaned forward, her high ponytail swinging around her head a little with the movement. "Don't be dense, Katana, doesn't suit you. Maybe your clueless boyfriend hasn't noticed yet but I have. You don't need a high level of insight to see the painfully obvious."

I folded my arms and set my jaw. "I do not have a crush on Naruto."

Her eyes lit up. "You called him by his first name!"

"Stupid. He told me to." I stood up and brushed myself off. "That doesn't mean I have a crush on him just because I call him by his first name." I exhaled. "What would it matter if I did, it couldn't happen even if I wanted it to."

Nose wrinkle. "Oh nonsense. In nine years you'll be twenty-one and he'll be about thirty-five. It won't matter then."

Were we actually _having_ this conversation? I gave her the same look I usually reserved for Ichigo when he said something lingering on the fringes of Moronville. "Will you listen to yourself? I admit he isn't bad to look at… and he has really nice eyes…" My stomach did flip-flops and my voice almost wavered. "But I don't like him like that."

"Katana…"

"I don't!"

Tomoe just shot me a very frank look of disbelief. "Uchiha, that is registering as a positive on my Bullshit Meter."

Heh, so she had one too. "Hn. It doesn't matter." I moved toward a small bleacher stand and sat on the last row. She joined me. "A crush is a crush. They come and they go. Besides I like Ichigo a lot and, well, he's my age. What we have goes deeper than a crush."

Tomoe raised an eyebrow at me. "Really? Deep? Ichigo? Girl, you are _reaching_. The deepest thing about that guy is when he's licking the bottom of a ramen bowl. I'm surprised he even knows what a girl is."

I leveled a glare at her. "He knows what a girl is, Tomoe." I didn't add to the effect of why I knew this so confidently.

Her eyebrows climbed at the implication. "Ooh really? Is he some kind of closet Romeo? You practically have your pick of men and you date… the dobe."

"Said dobe is graduating," I pointed out. "He can also hold his own well in a spar. Give him credit where it's due." A tiny stab of guilt appeared in my gut then. I never praised him like this to his face even though he had no qualms about giving me enthusiastic reviews in front of me to other people. I attributed it to our odd dynamic and left it at that.

Tomoe shook her head. "I'll admit he's formidable… when you _can_ get him to fight a woman. Honestly I just don't see it. It's been one of the great mysteries of this school year: why does the class beauty date the class clown? Although," she grinned wickedly, "it's been so much fun watching the guys spout steam over it."

Perhaps it's because I had a pure upbringing uncolored by the biases and inherent insanity of societal whims. Why any sane member of the human race would care about the dating politics of Ichigo and me will remain a continuous source of perplexity to me. I settled my elbows on my knees and folded my fingers under my chin, studying Tomoe thoughtfully. "You are so weird."

Left field. "Huh?"

"You are. How come out of your entire family, you're the only one with a personality? That relative on your side, what's-his-name, Neji?" Nod. "If he wasn't human I'd swear he was descended from granite."

She laughed behind her hand. "Heh, you're not exactly living up to my expectations either, Uchiha."

My eyes characteristically narrowed. "How so?"

Tomoe laced her fingers together and folded them behind her head. "Well," she leaned until her back encountered the bleacher seat behind her. "I did my homework. Somehow the words 'elite' and 'feared' just don't come to mind when I think about you."

"Oh? Then I'll being see _you_ on the battlefield in the Chuunin Exams," I mock-threatened.

Semi-amused she cut me a sidelong glance. "You'll be the first Uchiha to take it in a decade, you realize that? All that attention you've gained this year will be nothing compared to what will happen once the word gets out."

Reign in the parade. I gave an indecisive sniff. "Doubt it. I'm not a legitimate heir. I have no contest to the money nor the estate, however the real estate agency is being _very_ understanding." The sarcasm rolled off my tongue. "They can't kick me out but they _can_ make me pay rent. Rent for living in _my_ father's house." I stretched out my legs to get the strain out of them and to prevent the muscles from locking up.

__

It probably didn't help telling that agent you spoke with to go screw himself.

Tomoe tapped her chin. "Wow. I suppose living like a missing nin wasn't appealing, since you're actually putting up with all of this. Life with an infamous criminal must have been hell."

I bristled. I liked Tomoe but sometimes she really pushed my buttons. "My father is not a criminal. He's made a lot of bad choices but he is not worthy of condemnation. Not if you really knew him."

Tomoe watched me solemnly. "Were you guys close?" she asked quietly.

I shrugged. "More or less. I mean, he's my father." My gaze drifted to the blue sky.

Withholding a mirthful snort, my friend nodded. "Indeed." I smiled at her and nudged her with my foot. She smiled back and rocked to her feet. "It's been real, Kat. I need to get home before the old people sixty-four me."

I got up too and we exchanged a brief hug in the female way before she took off. I sat back down again and wondered at my friendship with this strange Hyuuga clan deviant. She truly was a colorful person. If you met the rest of that strangely stoic bunch, you'd have sworn the stork dropped the wrong basket on the front stoop. Tomoe told me it was because the clan head, Hinata, had influenced her to be more expressive and not follow common "emotional" conventions just because everyone else did. I believed it, since I had the honor of meeting her once and she struck me as a sweet sensible woman.

Except for her infant son. That little bastard pulled out two chunks of my hair. Tomoe nearly died laughing while I held the demon at arm's length and begged for someone to take him away from me. I wasn't much on kids or babies and, unless they were my own, I didn't want anything to do with them in the future.

Alone on the training grounds now I wallowed in the comfortable silence that followed Tomoe's departure. My eyes slid shut and my arms looped around kneecaps and my head gradually dropped down in the cradle of my arms.

I must have sat there for twenty minutes before I felt and then heard someone approach. He stood in front of me for a moment before climbing up the bleachers one, two, sat behind me before immediately leaning over and embracing me from behind, tucking his chin over my left shoulder. I shivered at his touch and fought back a trembling grin. Our relationship was combative and most of the time I acted like I'd rather drop kick the bastard than stand one more moment of his irritating presence. Yet I also couldn't deny the same part of me that was driven crazy _by_ him was also crazy _for_ him. There were times I couldn't believe how deeply he'd gotten his hooks into me and how fast. But this moron had done it.

"What is that?" he began at length.

"What?" I opened my eyes.

"Are you wearing perfume?"

"Ichigo, I can't afford perfume. Why would I be wearing it?"

He pulled me halfway around and before I could protest, his lips were on mine. Since we'd been officially "going out" for most of the year, we'd had lots of practice (especially after a good long spar). That awkward first time was but a fond memory.

After a moment, I started laughing, interrupting the intimacy and he pulled away, mildly peeved.

"You know it's really hard to kiss you when you do that," he pointed out logically. Playfully I pinched his nose, still in his arms. He responded by nuzzling my cheek before pulling away to sit beside me, although he kept one arm about my waist. Ichigo was the touchy-feely type.

"So what are you doing out here?" he asked amiably.

"I was kicking Tomoe's ass. What have you been up to? Your mom still driving you crazy?"

Ichigo exhaled a hurricane of a sigh. "Please. It was all I could do not to chuck kunai at the wall just so she'd yell at me. Is it possible to die from your mother glomping you?" He stretched out his legs and arms. "At least she's happy… I'd rather she glomp me than be like that Ino friend of hers, crying uncontrollably from sheer _joy_." He shuddered. "She acts like a real aunt so much it's scary. Mom II."

"Aw," I cooed reaching out to pinch both of his cheeks - hard, "poor baby."

"Ouch! Let go, baka!" He knocked me off him with one arm. Ichigo rubbed his red pinch marked cheeks and glowered at me. When he did that his green eyes positively smoldered - something that in later years he used to his great advantage during crucial moments.

I backed off, smirking. "You're such a pussy, Uzumaki. Aren't you sick of wearing the dress in this relationship?"

"WHAT!"

Chuckling in a low evil manner, I leapt neatly away to avoid the retaliatory fist. Ichigo's brain stopped working when a key insult hit home and prompted him to kick the ass of the offender regardless of whom it was. Any girl finding him reluctant to take to a fight with her quickly caught on to this.

Naturally I was the first.

I backed away slowly, teasingly as Ichigo stalked toward me. There were three ways this could go down. He could challenge me to a duel, insult me back, or do both at the same time. With Ichigo you just never could tell what he was in the mood for.

His unusual bout of silence egged me to continue. "I hit too close to the mark, huh? So what _is_ it you do in your spare time?"

He pounced. Watching his descent, I simply sidestepped and watched him crash rather ungracefully in the dust at my feet. I shook my head in mild amusement. If you asked me, Ichigo would have a better chance of becoming a sideshow attraction than a respectable ninja. Today he was wearing black pants, a black shirt that was open over a white shirt bearing another one of those "witty" kanji messages. This one read **If I Look Like I Don't Care I Probably Don't Care.**

__

God, and he wonders why everyone picks on him!

After spitting out the dirt, he rolled over onto his back and gasped as my foot came down hard on his chest. His head thunked back against the ground. Ironic, my upper lip curled. Wasn't I on the receiving end of one of these not too long ago? I leaned over on my knee and smirked into his scowling face.

"Just you wait," he growled. "I'll beat you in front of everyone."

I batted my eyes at him flirtatiously. I let him knock my foot off. Straightening I put both hands on my hips and waited while he picked himself up. "Ichigo," I sighed through my nose loudly. "Until you can push past that barrier that bars you from attempting to hurt me, you are never going to beat me."

"Ne? Barrier? What the - A barrier, there's no barrier!" he fumed, folding his arms stubbornly.

Taking two steps that were more like hops, I entered his personal space. By reflex he blinked when I tapped between his eyebrows, traced down to the tip of his nose and gave him another little tap. "Yes… there… is…" I sang gaily. More seriously I added, "You give your all when we fight but when it comes down to pulling _the_ final punch, you lock up. I've seen you do this on too many occasions to blame it on bad focus or lack of stamina."

"I do _n-_"

I didn't let him finish. "And continuing to deny it is going to get you killed." I took his chin in my hand and kissed him quickly. "I don't want to see some chick drown you in shame because you're too torqued up to hurt her."

Ichigo's wide ardent eyes blinked owlishly. "Do you really think that?" He looked so innocently curious I had to put my arms around his neck. "Do you really think I'm too… nice?"

"Aa." I let our foreheads touch. "But you know what?" I whispered close to his ear. "You got the girl anyway so don't you go being a jerk after this, ne _teme_?"

"Just so long as you don't go turning into a _abazureon'na_."

"Too late."

We laughed.

* * *

__

Three Days Later

The sound of someone's fist pounding on a door jerked Naruto out of what had been a nice long afternoon nap. He had figured since getting back from the last mission (hopefully _the_ last mission… after this year's Genin teams got announced and established, Tsunade planned on stepping down) he was entitled to sprawl out on his couch and conk out for a few merciful hours.

What he hadn't planned on were two teenagers invading his personal space. But really, he had to be used to that by now. Giving a resigned sigh, he turned over without sitting up to peer disinterestedly down the hall. An irate Katana standing in front of a closed bathroom door greeted him.

"I swear you take longer than a girl!" she yelled through the door, fists clenched at her sides. "We're graduating in an hour and a half and I need to use it. Move your ass."

"In a minute!" came his muffled reply.

"I've given you sixty already!"

"Well, wait longer!"

"Piss off!" Katana kicked the door, leaving behind a black skid mark before stalking into the tiny living room. "I hate men," he heard her mutter causing him to grin ear to ear. "They're all a bunch of inconsiderate assholes…. Oh, um…" Katana saw that he was awake and flushed crimson.

He shook his head and crossed both arms behind his head. She terminated her train of thought and merely sat cross-legged down in the middle of the carpet, continuing the waiting game. "You know," she began, deciding to take her frustration out on the nearest set of willing ears, "he's lucky I even put up with him. If he'd been with any other woman, he'd be dead now."

"Wouldn't doubt it." The little thing reddened again and he almost laughed. Any person with two working eyes in their head could see it … even he, the crown king of density, had noticed. He found it cute and flattering at the same time. She'd get over it soon enough.

While she waited he figured that now that they had the time, he'd talk with her. It'd been some time since he'd been able to converse with the girl and his paternal instincts were scolding him that it was something he needed to do more often. Though in his heart he felt it wasn't his right to parent the child (that belonged to a certain someone else), his sense of responsibility as her sponsor demanded attention. But duty wasn't the only reason. He truly was fond of the girl. In only a short period of time she had worked her way into their lives, thanks to Ichigo. Thirteen was very young to fall in love but the boy already had thrown his everything into her. Hating to do it but knowing it had to be done, Naruto warned his son that while, yes, she was a nice girl and probably loved him about as much as he did, not to place her on a pedestal. He already knew very well the folly of hero worship and being in love wasn't much different.

Kids liked it when you were casual and easy with them, so Naruto started off light. "So… you nervous?"

Katana shrugged. "I suppose. A lot of people are going to be there and big crowds do tend to make me nervous. But I think I'll be fine." Absently she drew a lock of dark hair between her fingers clearly dissatisfied with the state it was in. While Naruto saw nothing wrong with the girl's mane, she obviously thought there was. "How's your air conditioner been working?" she asked suddenly, eyes going to the large contraption stuck in a window.

"Good. It doesn't whistle anymore." He adjusted his position, sitting up a little more. "It seems like you can fix anything."

Katana rocked back on her hands, unconsciously moving her head so her long hair fell neatly behind her. It reached clear to her rear now, so much to the point that she often sat on it. Sakura had advised her more than once to have it cut but she only responded by pinning it up. Apparently she was very proud of her tresses.

"Not anything," she replied. "Just the usual maintenance things require but most people don't administer to… or have the know-how. There's a reason some things come with directions, you know."

"And you what," he smirked, "memorized an entire household appliance manual?"

"Yes." He blinked. "Well, sort of," she amended. "A month before I came here, I copied an entire book on how to fix pipes, doors, water heaters, cable connections, light socket fixtures and light switches. It was pretty cool stuff. Heh," she snickered guiltily, "I almost stole it but then Otosan caught me and gave me hell." She noticed his quizzical expression. "What?"

"Ne, it's nothing, really." He thought about it. "I'm just wondering why you're a ninja, you can do so many other things just as well and most of them let you have a longer lease on life."

Katana's lips tightened to a grim line. "For me becoming a ninja was a necessity, not a choice. If I didn't want to die, I had to learn how to protect myself." But a smile soon softened her features. "I do like it though and I'm good at what I've been taught so what the heck."

Naruto tilted his head, watching the dark girl thoughtfully. It was almost too bad he still had his Genin team to concentrate on, he wanted to see for himself what she could do. Sakura had trained with the girl and said she'd seen the child perform the strangest jutsus. The one that impressed her the most was one that apparently produced a blasting of blinding light from both palms that could be concentrated into a beam of heat that could be directed into the enemy's eyes. Sakura described the sound it made as if one very great bird of prey was crying out right next to her ear. It was a sound she claimed had sent shivers down her spine. It took half of the girl's chakra to complete the jutsu successfully. Being only the third wielder of the Rasengan, he understood well the uniqueness of nearly unheard of abilities.

Almost as if she were reading his mind, Katana spoke up. "I've never seen you train. Most respectable shinobi seem to defer to you and Ichigo's told me some stories. If I believe everything I hear, it makes you sound like some kind of ninja god." Her depthless eyes scrutinized him as he coughed embarrassedly and drew a finger sheepishly under his nose. "So… just what the hell are you?"

She would never know how familiar those words would strike him. Naruto hit it back and played it cool. "I'm special." His eyes gleamed mischievously.

"I figured you'd dodge that."

Shrug.

"Hn."

He grinned.

"Seriously."

Naruto shook his head. "I'd tell you but then I'd have to kill you." Wink.

That ended it. She made a _phst_ of annoyance, waved her hand at him in disgust and got to her feet. "I'm not waiting anymore. Tell that idiot I went to his mother's place. At least she's got hair conditioner and shaving cream."

__

What and I don't?

He nodded, raising his hand in farewell. The Uchiha girl smiled and departed quickly with that little wave she was always giving people. A flush of heat filled the room for a moment before the coolness rushed back. The apartment grew silent again. Naruto took this refuge and closed his eyes again, trying to recapture some semblance of peace. Easily he ignored the minor incidental noises coming from the other room.

Eventually Ichigo stumbled from the bathroom, fully dressed in his usual, hair still somewhat damp. Looking around, his face furrowed and he entered the living room. "Dad," he announced. "She leave?"

Naruto didn't move from his position nor did he open his eyes. "Yeah. How long did you think she was going to wait?"

Ichigo fidgeted.

His father opened one blue eye and regarded his son. "You _do_ take longer than a girl. What did you do in there? Pluck your eyebrows?" He snickered. Yeah, he thought he was so funny.

The boy crossed his arms and glared down at the Jounin, not amused. "Drop dead." His left eye twitched with his next question. "Okay, um, I know _this_ sounds girly but do I look all right?"

The other eye opened. "You mean you were in there for an hour and you couldn't decide that?"

Clenched teeth. "DAD."

Naruto sighed, resigned himself and made a show of wearisomely pushing to sit all the way up. "You look fine. Okay, okay, don't give me the death glare." He reached up and ruffled the scowling boy's hair affectionately. "Ne, why does it matter? Graduation isn't _that_ kind of big deal."

"I know but…" Ichigo lowered his head. "Just wanna, you know, make a good last impression. I'm probably never going to see most of those guys again."

He sounded truly subdued, as if he believed it was an inescapable inevitability. Frankly it shocked his father - really, he hadn't expected brightly optimistic Ichigo to take the nosedive into realism before the fact. Better early than late, still, someone so young shouldn't let the frightening prospect of the future sully his outlook on life.

"That's more than likely to be true," Naruto began, moving his legs to the side so his son could perch on the middle cushion. "Life is just, well," he shrugged, "you know, it sucks." He swung his legs over the side and sat up. "Let me give you some advice for the long run. I used to believe that by being strong I could protect everyone I cared about all the time. Used to think if I tried just a little harder, then people wouldn't die. But hey no one's invincible and not every battle's winnable."

"What do you believe now?" the boy asked, looking up at him.

He put an arm around the boy's shoulders and gave him a friendly shake. "You do what you can… and be the best at it."

Ichigo gave him that all too familiar 'you are full of it' look. "Gee thanks, Uncle Solomon, that was really useful."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Oi, you don't have to take my word for it. Follow your own ninja way. Just remember us old folks when you're standing at the top, ne?" he grinned widely.

"Old?" Ichigo tightened his lips, fighting back howls of laughter. "Whatever you say, Hokage- man." He stood and moved to go.

His father made a face. "I'm not Hokage yet."

"Heh." Ichigo paused at the door, hand on the knob. Something seemed to weigh on his mind then. He bit his lip and then turned to face the older man. There was no preamble. "Why won't you marry Mom?"

It came out of the blue and struck its unsuspecting target true just the way the boy had meant for it. Naruto's ever-present grin vanished. Eventually his eyes averted to the side and he looked down at the floor between his feet. _What brought this on?_ At length he mumbled evasively. "It's complicated."

"Why?" Not how, but why.

"When you're older you'll understand." He berated himself for cashing in on the worn cop-out adultism. It seemed easier than explaining the reasons as to why Sakura-chan and himself could never come together honestly. Even if the boy were aware that a marriage would be a lie he probably wouldn't care so long as his parents were 'together' and living under the same roof. But they wouldn't… not if they came together like that. It would destroy everything. Sakura-chan knew this and found refuge in meaningless relationships with men she didn't love and her work at the hospital. Naruto knew this and found refuge in his Genin team and his ambition for Hokage. The only love they shared was this boy. And that was supposed to be enough.

But it wasn't.

Ichigo darkened and his green eyes became hard and brittle. "It ain't that fucking hard to understand." He opened the door and slammed it behind him.

That hurt. Naruto felt the slamming inside his chest and quietly clenched his teeth together. His eyes screwed shut and he slowly shook his head. In so many ways he could see it, in so many little ways it was revealing itself. He hadn't wanted to believe Sakura-chan when she spoke of it.

They both _really_ needed to take some time off.

* * *

__

abazureon'na (when referring to a woman) - bitch


	11. Graduation and Urgent Messages

"This isn't good."

Those were the only words uttered - that _could_ be uttered. Bird, Dog and Wolf arrived at the rendezvous expecting to be greeted by their comrades and instead found... death.

None spoke as they waded through the sea of bodies, mud and blood, each mentally going over what must have happened to cause this. But they weren't able to get through much. The acrid, sick metallic smell of blood thick in the air, the sight of glistening entrails strewn about and the frozen horror on the faces of the dead throttled their prevalently disciplined senses numb.

It wasn't a massacre. It was a slaughter.

"The pass was safe," Bird said - choked - repeating it twice. "They didn't know about it… couldn't have… it's not even mapped." He was feeling shreds of guilt to certain degrees, seeing his fallen clansmen. It didn't make any sense. He had confirmed with his own eyes that nothing had followed the others through the pass. All three of them had.

Dog shook his head, knees shaking badly, shock and nausea robbing him of speech. In all of his experience as a shinobi he'd never seen bodies this badly butchered. He glanced furtively at the silent Wolf, who was kneeling over a corpse and scrutinizing it with his eyes. Of them, he seemed the least affected, although if they looked beneath the mask, they would have seen the truth in his eyes.

Gradually Bird tore away from his inner tirade of self-reproach and focused on their taciturn third component.

At length, he did speak. His voice was achromatic and brusque. "Hired mercenaries."

"Who?" Dog blurted.

Wolf shook his head. "I don't know. It's too imprecise, too crude to be regular ninja." He looked up from the body and scanned the terrain. "Most of the organizations operate on the fringes, rather like the Akatsuki. These men…" Spying something on the ground, he picked it up and held it up for the other two to see. It was a Sound forehead protector; the blood soaked cloth was shredded at the ends. "Regardless of who they are, they _are_ working for the Sound. That means the projected number of enemies has doubled within the last three days."

Dog paled under his mask, the tone of his voice showing he was clearly agitated. "Th-They're serious this time, ain't they Bird-man?" He looked to his team leader and fellow clansman. "This was just supposed to be another hit and run operation to drive them off."

Reluctantly Bird nodded. To Wolf, "What's on your mind."

It was not a request. Wolf tossed the forehead protector aside and stood again. "Orochimaru intends to sever your land from you by force this time. He has discovered your weakness," he indicated the surrounding pass, "and he will use it to the fullest advantage."

_Next time this scene will be the village._ Bird knew it surely as if it were proven fact._ It must not happen._ "It's war now."

The man nodded.

The reality of it sank upon the guilt-ridden man's shoulders and he became resigned to the unavoidable. This was his responsibility. The entire future of their clan depended on them now. Breathing out slowly, heavily, he clenched his gloved hands tightly and steeled himself. "We're heading back."

Dog didn't get it. "But sir…"

"No buts. With our number, there's no hope for it. The clan needs to reconvene and call for reinforcements."

Wolf tilted his head to the side slightly. "Your clan has no diplomatic relations outside of the valley. Your only allies were wiped out a year ago. How would you accomplish this?"

Bird pointed to him.

Silence. "What could I possibly do?"

Bird felt him drawing away and forcefully yanked on the reigns. "Your debt to us hasn't been completely fulfilled. You're the only one with the knowledge and I'll be damned if I let you go now. Tell me, of the Hidden Villages, who would be willing to help us on good faith?"

He was sure he heard Wolf's smile in his next statement. "I know one."

* * *

Something was bothering my boyfriend. 

The graduation ceremony went off without a hitch. It was a beautiful day, not too hot and there was a nice cool breeze and the sun was out shining bright and proud like something out of a cheesy cartoon. True to form it seemed like the entire village turned out for the event even though the requirement was at minimum one relative per graduate. The Academy superintendent was simply ecstatic at the huge numbers of people notwithstanding the small amount of free refreshment to go around. Judging from the queasy looks on the rest of the students' faces all of the attention was quite embarrassing. I saw several girls hide their faces while the boys tried to position their necks at inconspicuous angles to avoid meeting _anyone's_ eyes.

Despite the admonishment for people to be quiet during the recitation of names to retrieve their forehead protectors, the civilians and fellow ninja in the crowd weren't up to obeying such silly procedural nonsense. I had to smile a few times watching some of the boys posture appreciatively to those who called their names (I saw a lot of "V" signs) and some girls just waving. Lots of hoots and "Go insert name here!" But that was about as rambunctious as it got, everything was orderly and everyone was behaving themselves. On the fringes if one were to really look ANBU patrolled the perimeter of the event, keeping an eye out for any unwelcome party-crashers. There were too many innocents and unarmed people for them to be lax in their security.

There would be no family members to hoot my name out. A fleeting pang came, dwelt for a moment and then was gone.

The students stood in line in alphabetical order. Since Ichigo and I were the only students in our class with names starting with U we were standing right beside each other, naturally with me ahead of him. There were perhaps still fourteen people ahead of us. My legs were tired from standing in one place for over an hour and I wanted to sit _so_ badly. All inner annoyances went on hold when I took notice of tree boy. His eyes were faraway his hands were loosely resting in his pockets and he seemed a bit slouched over.

_Great, the king of the squirrels is in a funk._ I elbowed him.

"Ano sa," I whispered. "You all right?"

He blinked and glanced up at me, the glaze over his eyes easing away. My concerned expression made him snap on a wide fake smile. "I'm fine."

"You're tense." I corrected.

"Nah."

I gave him a Look.

My boyfriend insisted. "Katana, I'm really okay. Just out of it a little." When I didn't deviate from staring he sighed defeatedly, reading the message. "I'll tell you later."

Fair enough. I reached for his hand and squeezed it not doubting most of the people below the platform our line stood on could see us. Ichigo laced his fingers with mine and returned the squeeze gratefully. I had to let go when it was my turn and blushed faintly when Ichigo winked at me, put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. The two guys standing behind him thought this was a riot and burst out laughing.

Below us I saw Sakura put a hand over her face.

Oh yeah. Death was too good for that little blonde bastard. Pinioning him with a poisonous glare, I made a sideways cutting motion across my throat before stepping off the platform and heading down the stairs to the designated area. Ichigo had to be shoved forward to get his for he was then seized with a sudden bout of stage fright, amusing several people to no end, including myself. When he did retrieve his _hai-ate_ he held it up proudly and waved it around, not budging until I sighed wearisomely - why me? - trudged back up the steps, grabbed his arm and bodily hauled him off.

"Come on, _usuratonkachi_, this day isn't only about _you_."

He grinned and let himself be dragged. "Sure it is!"

Discreetly I rolled my eyes. _Tell me again why I'm in love with this dork._ I took him to his parents and suggested to Naruto and Sakura they should carry around sedative-laced darts whenever they took Ichigo to _any_ public event. Ichigo liked this suggestion so much he shouted in anger and chased me through the crowd, my laughter drifting back to him for encouragement.

* * *

Sakura watched the children race off and pressed her fingers over her lips to suppress her laughter. She looked to Naruto whose arm hers was loosely linked with. He was watching the two, the expression on his face a mixture of nostalgia, pride and cheer. Somehow out of the bottomless pit of his apartment, he managed to unearth a new Jounin uniform for the occasion and Sakura secretly thought he looked great in it. Looked great in anything, really, Naruto was a good-looking man. But because he just didn't pay enough attention or cared to, he failed to notice the constant appreciative glances women often threw his way. She wasn't jealous, no of course not, she could _never_ be jealous of Naruto - that urge to walk up to that pretty young thing over there and punch her across the green had nothing to do with jealousy. Her libidinous leering in front of so many young teens was just grossly inappropriate, that's all. 

"Ne Naruto?" she queried quietly. He looked down at her (had it been so long ago he was such a short fellow?) expectantly. "Everyone's going to leave soon… do you want to get something to eat before the crowds make it impossible?"

He smiled at her. "Sure Sakura-chan. I was getting hungry anyway."

She smiled back, tightened her arm around his and they left together. They'd meet up with the kids later.

* * *

Ichigo chased me all the way out a small field where he managed to tackle me right there down in the long grass only because I stopped to check my bearings. Mistakenly I miscalculated how much loam he had on me until he intercepted me, pushing me forward and towards the ground. He controlled the fall, turning me in such a way that he received more of a bruise to his body than I did (his unerring gentlemanly side asserting itself). 

So there we were in a heap in the long grass, disturbed debris and insects going in several directions. For a long time neither of us spoke, the only sounds penetrating the relative quiet was harsh breathing, racing pulses and the razzing noise of cicadas. Grass stalks poked my bare arms in uncomfortable spots, making my pale skin itch. Below Ichigo stared up at me; his green eyes were close enough for me to practically count the blue flecks in them. I folded my arms comfortably over his chest (which was starting to get some width to it) and rested my chin on my hands, turning slightly so my cheek rested on them.

Once upon a time such a position would have sent Ichigo stuttering, blushing and pushing me off him with a thousand forms of apology. Once upon a time such a position would have sent me blushing, maybe smacking him and pushing him off with more force than was needed. Now the position was as natural to us as collapsing after a bout of strenuous training. We were too young to give into the desires that would assail us mercilessly later on, right now we were content to remain on the edge of them, secret promises neither one of us in our innocence understood exchanging between our eyes.

Ichigo looked down at me in the waning afternoon light. "You know, you're really pretty."

I snickered. That boy could be so tacky sometimes. I reached up and removed a dead leaf from his hair.

At my reaction, he wrinkled his upper lip at me. "Can't even pay you compliment. I'm serious, you really are pretty, Katana." He watched me roll off him to lie beside him, our bodies still touching. At length, he propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at me with renewed vigor. "Now that we're finally Genin let's make a promise."

Oh boy, this ought to be good. I shifted my head to look at him better, a silent signal to go on.

Ichigo appeared to ponder it and his next words were stuttering. "If-If we're still together and… and you know, alive, um, when we grow up can we… um… if we don't find someone else can we…"

Patiently I waited. It might take forever in a day to get there but the point would be reached.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He mumbled it. It was low, nervous, hard to discern and barely coherent civilized speech. But I understood it completely. In response I lifted my hand and caressed his faintly bewhiskered cheek with the backs of my fingers. "Aa."

Those green orbs snapped open faster than two shade flaps. "Really?"

I smiled and nodded. "Baka, of course, 'really.' I had plans to one day. Be kind of nice if it was you. I won't have to wonder what the results would look like."

Ichigo gave me his weirded out look. "Do you always have to sound so damn clinical?" Instantly though he grasped the wrist of the hand stroking his cheek leaned over me and pressed his mouth over mine. I slipped my arm around his neck and pulled him down. Kissing was a lot of fun. Ichigo got too adventurous and once or twice in the midst of the lip lock I had to untangle one arm to disengage his hand from drifting to certain areas. He muttered quick apologies. I didn't mind since it was normal. My inner censor told me we needed to wait until we were older for some of those other things. Ichigo stopping when asked was his way of saying he understood and agreed with me even if certain _other_ parts of him didn't.

Whoa. Since when did he learn how to do _that_ with his tongue?

* * *

She didn't think it was possible she'd be feeling this tired out by the end of the day. 

Tsunade retreated from the cave of her office, seeking refuge in the cool night air and the silver rimmed clouds above. The air conditioning inside the building was broken and until the repairmen came in the morning, she was in for a hot, stuffy, sweltering night. With the added stress of the past day's graduation and all the paper signing that went with it, she just wanted one night of peace. In another week, she'd be free from the prison of the Fifth and someone else would carry the torch for Konoha. Though she didn't look it, Tsunade was feeling her years keenly and wished nothing more to settle down quietly somewhere, drink sake and play cards with some other old folk until her days ended. It was a rather humble way for one of the three great Sannin to go but she figured she could do worse. It wasn't like she was a porn book writing pervert or a body jumping power crazed missing nin.

A smile tickled her lips at the thought.

Tsunade leaned forward comfortably on her arms on the balcony, sighing through her nose as she felt the wind caress the damp skin on her forehead and throat. If Shizune caught her out here, she'd probably scold her for staying up so late and tell her get to bed now before you wind up falling asleep during the Council meeting tomorrow! She liked the middle-aged woman well enough but sometimes she was such a nag. A well-meaning nag but a nag nonetheless.

I'd like to see her try to stay awake during those meetings. Talk about dull. Where's a deck when you need one?

A yawn chose to escape her then and it felt good. She leaned flat on her bare feet again (those damn high heels had taken to making her ankles sore in recent years), rocking back with the movement of a long, pleasurable stretch. Sleep was near and she was positively looking forward to it.

Suddenly her stomach plunged into ice and instantly every nerve ending came alive. _Someone's here._ Fully awake, Tsunade tensed and scanned the darkness around her, readying her stiff yet still limber body for evasive action. She may be getting on the years but she hadn't lost her touch by any means. Slowly her elegantly painted nails curled into clenched fists. Carefully she stretched out her senses to detect the intruder.

The chakra was strange…. Probably a man, given the amount he possessed. A high level ninja. Nobody she recognized. She sampled the shadows, cursing herself for letting down her guard. If she had been paying more attention, she would have been prepared for this sooner. Now she had the annoyance of a stressful day added on to _that_ with a potential assassin. Could today get any worse, she wondered?

Moving her feet apart, making sure she was standing close to the light spilling out onto the balcony from the inside, Tsunade called to the shadows calmly, her voice hollowed like steel. "Step into the light. You are a fool to be so confident."

"Who said I was being confident?" came a cool, deep voice directly in front of her. A figure melted from the darkness and stepped uncaringly into the light. It was a man dressed in dark green and brown ANBU fatigues, he wore fingerless leather gloves and thick boots. From where she stood he smelled of forest and earth, indicating he had traveled a long way to get here and if not for the scent, it was the worn appearance of his attire. His face she could not see for it was covered by a white wolf mask, which obscured his identity further. There were no marks on it or the rest of his clothes to tell what village he may have been from.

If he was even from a village.

Ah, just what she always liked about an adversary… a complete absence of anything to anticipate. This could be interesting.

When he made no aggressive moves (unless you counted the arrogant manner of his standing), Tsunade relaxed a little.

"You still are a fool," she replied in the same guarded tone. "How did you manage to get by my guard?"

The man extended one arm, opened his hand and dropped a senbon needle onto the ground. It made a light, tinkling sound. "You're a medical nin, Hokage-sama, I would have thought you would have known."

Naturally. She smiled thinly. "You intend to kill me?"

"No. I intend…" he slowly reached into one of his pockets. She tensed but all he pulled out was a small message scroll. "… To deliver this." He flipped it at her.

She caught it one-handed, while holding back a peal of laughter. A messenger boy, huh? An unorthodox and scary-looking one, but a messenger boy regardless. Watching him carefully out of her peripheral vision, she read the message telling of whom the contents had come from. Her hazel eyes opened wide and she looked up at the dark ninja. Unrolling it quickly, she scanned the message and was pulled further into shock. She narrowed her eyes and looked up again. "This is a lot to ask."

"Yes."

"Why Konoha?"

The man folded his arms. "I gave you a good reference."

Tsunade stilled. "You're not from here," she said aloud her denial.

The man did not reply right away. Gradually he spoke. "Who I am is not important. Do you intend to consider this plea or not?"

Tsunade nodded slowly, still trying to wrap her mind around the enormity of it. "I will present it to the Council."

She heard a very faint sigh. "I will be frank. The clan anticipates an instant response. They are desperate. Anyone you can spare they would consider sufficient."

Tsunade picked up on his word tense immediately. "They're not your clan?"

"No. This is my arrearage."

Certainly had evading complete answers down to an art. Tsunade put a hand on one hip and tapped the closed scroll against the other. "Then why should I believe this message? A clan usually sends a fellow member to represent the interests of the clan. It seems unwise to send a complete stranger who has no ties and no interest in their welfare."

"I never said I didn't have interest." He sounded a bit miffed if she dared let herself believe it.

"Ah, a man of honor." Tsunade smirked. "Admirable to say the most." Exhaling she shook her head tiredly. "I will try to speed things along however I must ask you to be patient. These other old goats won't be as accommodating as me." She offered a slightly embarrassed grin.

He was unmoved. "I understand."

Tsunade paused at the entrance to the hall leading back down to her office, glancing back at him. "In the interests of my village's safety, I need to ask you to remove your mask. Under our law, I cannot disclose your identity unless you become a threat to Konoha."

"What law?" he sounded deadly.

She turned full and looked him in the eye to the best of her ability. The words they exchanged were silent and unspoken. There was a tense pause before the man finally moved further into the light. Understanding from his body language, the Fifth moved down the hall, allowing the ninja to move ahead of her. Closing the double doors behind her, Tsunade looked up, staring at the man's back.

He turned and faced her, standing at a respectable distance. Hesitating only once, he reached up and pushed the mask over the top of his head.

Tsunade's eyes widened and despite resisting the action, her hand rose to briefly cover her mouth. Her shock withered in the next instant and her gaze hardened cold and unyielding.

The man focused his dark eyes on her unerringly. "It's been sixteen years, Tsunade. I'm through fucking around. Do whatever you feel is necessary."

Tsunade went colder. "No other reason?" she asked the unsaid.

"That you would ask." He answered the unsaid.

She smiled then, hearing the gentle sarcasm. It was perhaps the first sign of warmth she'd felt from him. "She graduated today," she informed him with a touch of pride. "Second in her class."

"Second?"

"_Hai_."

He finally showed a flicker of emotion, a smile was fighting to leave him. His formerly empty coal depths suddenly broiled over with more questions than she felt capable or had the right to answer. She sighed and decided to end it for the night.

"Until this matter has been resolved, your secret is safe with me. But you _will_ face the consequences," she warned. "Konoha takes no hold with traitors and neither will I. Your actions here will determine the rest of your life. For your daughter's sake, I advise you take heed."

For the first time, Sasuke allowed a hint of a smirk to grace his lips. He had expected no less.


	12. Teams and Promises

"Ichigo, tell me something."

It was the morning of the next day after graduation. My bones ached from the awkward position I'd unexpectedly found myself in this morning and my knee hurt from last night because I chased that damn fox around the manor until I managed to get him through a door leading to the outside. On top of the slight limp and the horrible crick in my poor neck, upon waking to first light I realized due to oversleeping, combing one's hair and dressing nicely were out the window. So to greet the day I was to be assigned to my Genin team, I looked in the mirror to discover a mussed up heathen. To remedy the crisis, I pinned up my black waterfall, threw on the cleanest thing I could find: a short dark green dress over black shorts, similar to the style of the outfit Sakura had worn in the team photo. Shucking the sandals, I went for my boots instead. I admit the hasty effort did not prove in vain. When I ran outside to find Ichigo waiting for me, his eyes did the up-and-down thing. He mouthed, "_Sekuchi_," and winked devilishly.

It really shouldn't have pleased me so much. Ichigo told me I looked like that even when I was covered with dirt with leaves sticking to my skin. Instead of acting demure I put one hand on my hip and gave him a smirk that summed it all up. _Yeah, I know I look good._

Now we were walking side by side casually. Ichigo's arms were loosely linked behind his head, jade eyes wandering around aimlessly with his thoughts. When I spoke, the eyes shifted to focus on me. "Tell you what?"

I held up my forehead protector. "How should I wear this?" I tapped his forehead, my nail making a clink against the slick metallic platewith the Leaf on it. "Everyone is wearing theirs in different places on their person. Waist, neck, arm, leg. I saw one girl using hers like a headband."

Eyelids drooped, Ichigo shrugged. "Wear it like I do. It's where it's supposed to go, right?"

The dork had a point. Shrugging, I tied it on tightly and then let my hands drop back down into their usual position. Ichigo smiled at me again and resumed his pursuit of mental wandering while his feet took him to the Academy. Neither of us spoke for the rest of the way, too entrenched in distraction. At least _I_ was feeling distracted. A litany of questions assailed me. Who would I be put with? What if they hated me? What if I hated _them_? What if our skill levels were so wildly at odds with one another no mission could be called a success? What if I got them killed? What if they got _me_ killed?

What if my brain exploded because I was worrying ridiculously about unknown elements of the future? _Heh, there's a side splitter._

Ichigo was fidgeting again. I elbowed him hard. He stopped.

We paused just on the school grounds, watching the small swarm of newly instated Genins pour into the building. It was what the great writers of the world called the moment of truth, standing on the cusp of the future, staring into the abyss, the eyes of the beast, the song of all songs.

My friend glanced at me. "You ready?"

I swallowed my feelings. "Aa. Remember whatever happens…"

"_Dattebayo_, you need to tell me?" he crowed with his squinty eyed grin of superiority. Grabbing my wrist, he tugged me along leaving me no choice but to follow. I let him tow me as far as the hall outside of the classroom where I had to assert my ability to go where I was required without being forced. Everyone who watched us walk in wondered why I was smirking and for what reason Ichigo was rubbing the back of his skull and wincing.

Of the graduated Genins, Ichigo and I were the oldest. Everyone else was a year behind us. I was only the oldest because of the delay it took for my schooling and Ichigo… well, there's no point in bringing up the past is there?

We separated to take our usual seats. There hadn't been assigned seating of course, you were free to sit anywhere you liked. But being obstinate children with fell senses of propriety, we each had staked out seats on day one. In the environment of the classroom, Ichigo wanted as little to do with me as possible in favor of communing with his male buddies. At first his behavior puzzled me, however, I discovered shortly that all of the boys were like this. The minute we were dismissed at the end of the day, Ichigo would come find me and everything went back to the way it normally was. When I asked him why he preferred to spend most of his free time with me instead of with his male friends, he made a face and told me he couldn't get them to spar with him outside of school. There was another reason he wouldn't say - I sensed it - but I let him keep it to himself. Not everything in the squirrel king's head was required knowledge.

Sitting in my usual spot by the window, I watched people file in disinterestedly. The only time I perked up was when Tomoe waved at me when she walked in, slid in to sit beside me for a brief chat before said "owner" of the seat came and cleared his throat. She turned, gave him a quick, uneasy smile and scooted away quickly. He watched her go with no expression before sliding in place. Meeting my gaze, he nodded. I nodded back and he sat down.

Hayabusa Takashi was the reputed number one rookie. We'd been sitting next to each other since the beginning of the semester. Rather _he_ chose to sit next to me, which I found odd, since he _never_ spoke to me, barely even _glanced_ at me and only spoke when spoken to. I think he sat next to me because I was the only girl who didn't make any irritating, pointless attempts to win him over. Not that I didn't think he was worth a chase. Takashi was a stunner, what God's gift to women probably looked like and you never forgot it when he fixed those amber colored eyes on you unwaveringly. His long dark red hair was knotted at the nape of his neck, he was the tallest boy in our class and his russet eyebrows were like a hawk's wings often perpetually set in a scowl. In a lot of ways he reminded me of my father: stony faced, standoffish and talented as hell.

Ichigo hated Takashi because he dared to look at me. Takashi hated Ichigo because he was stupid enough to accuse him of something so low.

Our instructor walked in shortly after the last kid arrived. Her name was Ayumi - just Ayumi-sensei, because apparently sharing family surnames wasn't something she was into. She was a young, robust, twentysomething Chunnin with brown hair and gray eyes. She moved through the classroom leisurely, walked to her desk and shuffled papers around. When everything was in order to her satisfaction, she turned to face us and put both fingers in her mouth. I braced myself.

The shrill whistle resounded off the windows and the walls, effectively shutting everyone up. Quietly and quickly everyone settled down and went back to their seats. The instructor smiled charmingly at the now orderly classroom, hands spread on her hips in satisfaction.

"I told you guys on the first day I'd have you all trained by the end of the year. Looks like I was right." Ayumi-sensei surveyed the classroom and grinned. "Well, you brats should be proud of yourselves, you made it through. But don't get on your high horse 'cause the best is yet to come." I didn't like that gleam in her eyes. "I'm not going to bore you guys to death with any good luck speeches or false words of encouragement. You got enough of those yesterday. Today you're getting assigned to teams and then you're never going to have to deal with me again… except for you, Eri, because you're my sister."

A small brunette girl up front sank down in her seat. She probably was wishing she were dead. I was glad I didn't have siblings. Nothing but trouble if you asked me.

"Okay!" Ayumi-sensei liked raising her voice when she felt like it. She held up a piece of paper and announced, "I'll be reading off your names and teams. If you don't like them, too bad, you're stuck with them."

Ayumi-sensei was not a popular teacher, in case you were wondering. I wouldn't miss her.

Takashi wrote something on a piece of paper and then discreetly drew my attention to it without moving or making a sound. It was a more of an eye flicker.

Bitch

I bit the insides of my cheeks, desperately holding the laughter at bay. Who knew Hayabusa had a sense of humor?

The first thing I discovered about Team 10 was that it had two boys and a girl placed on it. I was told once this was the way teams were assembled and had always been assembled although no one understood _why_ it had been decided that way. It was also unknown as to why people were put together the way they were except that each combination was carefully selected. The sneaky subtle reason behind it remained a continuous mystery.

Still whatever the reasons, you would think it would make little sense to put two boys who had beef with one another on the same team and even less sense to stick the girlfriend/bone of contention of one of the boys on the team as well. You were just asking for a bloodbath.

Konoha must like bloodbaths.

"Team 7: Uchiha Katana, Hayabusa Takashi and Uzumaki Ichigo." A flicker of surprise crossed her face, her eyes widened slightly and you could almost hear the curse within. Her eyes went from the paper, to our faces and then back again. I could have sworn she mouthed, "God."

Apparently though Hayabusa Takashi had a short memory. "Uzumaki?" He looked around the classroom, puzzled. It was hard to tell if he was being deliberate because I knew he _had_ to know. I mean, he nearly put the guy in the hospital for God's sake.

Ichigo did not like it when people forgot who he was. He punched the top of his desk hard enough to crack it and growled at Takashi from two seats behind us. His eyes were made of pure poison. "That's me, you asshole."

Takashi settled on him and those hawk brows rose. "Oh." Then he simply turned around again. I was the only one who saw his eyes close briefly and then open again. To make up for the burn, I smiled gently at Ichigo, which translated to: "Shut the hell up and sit down."

He scowled and did stubbornly, arms folded.

As for me, I waited Ayumi-sensei's next words-to-wise out before everyone was dismissed for the final time. My stomach churned somewhat heading outside. This was going to be troublesome… I didn't know what any of this was going to entail and I was dead certain that being on Team 7 with these two was going to cause too many problems. How would anything get done? I pitied whoever our sensei was going to be. I sure hoped whoever he or she was going to be had the chops to deal with us because I was foreseeing a _lot_ of problems!

Deciding to wait for them on a bench, I crossed my legs at the ankles and sat up very straight. After five minutes failed to procure either boy I started taking my hair down, tossing the sharp implements beside me. Most of it pooled on my shoulders and my chin was tucked down so I only saw his shadow when he approached me.

"Uchiha."

What is it with these sticks up their asses types and last names? "Hello Takashi." My arms dropped and I shook my hair back casually. I returned his cool stare.

He folded his arms and tilted his head to the side a little. "Did you think this would happen?"

Taking my time, I leaned back comfortably and drew an arm across the top of the back of the bench. "I had imagined a scenario a little less vile," my tone was nonchalant. "However I'm young. I'll adapt."

"You better." Takashi narrowed his eyes at me. "If your relationship with Uzumaki unbalances our team it's _you_ I'm going to blame."

Oh an ass kicking was just too good for him. I glared at him. "Why me?"

Takashi didn't answer however he did give me a very pointed stare. He must think I could read minds or something.

Throwing back my head again, I made that frustrated sound only women had a monopoly on. Geez, when the shit hits the fan… Gathering up the tresses again, I began to rework it.

He eyed what I was using. "Senbon needles?"

I glanced at him. "Yes."

"That's clever."

I finished and folded _my_ arms. "Clever? His Royal Highness deems a commoner _clever_? Stop you're going to give me a superiority complex."

No, he didn't like that. "You're a bitch," he dryly observed.

I grinned fiercely.

If glares could physically melt a person, Takashi and I would have been two human puddles of seething contempt and anger right there on the pavement. Neither of us particularly understood what it was about the other that was pissing us off. Ichigo's loud entrance onto the scene didn't serve to speed up the solution nor helped it. In fact his just showing up made things a whole lot worse.

"Hi Katana!" I loved the way he lit up when he saw me. Ignoring Takashi temporarily, he rushed passed the guy and tugged me to my feet by my hands. "This is so weird, huh?" he asked me energetically, disengaging our hands when I gave a marked pull. Understanding he took his away and hid them behind his back grinning.

"Very."

Hearing him speak, Ichigo's face darkened and he turned to Takashi. He didn't say anything, didn't do anything. He just shot everything appalling he wanted to say and do in his very expressive green eyes right at Hayabusa. The other merely rejoined it all from afar, stepping up upon a pedestal Ichigo could never hope to reach. It left the other boy standing at the bottom, looking up and wishing he could get up there if only so he could knock the other right off it.

Me? I wanted to knock an arrow and finish off the both of them. Ah yes, this was going beautifully. Intervention time. I grasped my boyfriend's shoulder and dug my nails in hard, letting him know yanking away was not a good idea. "You two, stop the pissing contest. This wasn't anyone's first choice. Can we agree on that?"

Reluctant nods.

"So let's suck in our guts and sweat it out. We're not going to be the kind of ninja we want to be if we keep having pipe fantasies about impaling each other's heads on pikes."

Takashi's eye actually twitched. "Must you be so graphic?"

"She reads a lot of books," Ichigo said, as if that explained everything.

"Oh."

_And I thought the great Takashi paid attention to his surroundings, _I thought crowing inwardly._ Well, why would he, the guy is already in love with himself, why need he look elsewhere?_ To Ichigo I said, "Remember when we first met, what you told me?"

"Ne?" he frowned. "What'd I say?"

If he were going to be like this in the future when certain questions _mattered_, I would dump his ass in a very colorful and artistic manner involving a fire jutsu and one _very_ _hard_ kick to the groin. For now I settled with just roughly letting his shoulder go. "Tch. Forget it."

His innocent look of hurt almost made me feel guilty. Almost.

Takashi exhaled asking his next question with all of the enthusiasm it took from someone not seriously interested. "What did he say?"

I shook my head. Pity really, because of the three of us, perhaps Takashi needed to hear it the most. Howbeit his mind was not in the right place; _he_ was not in the right place. He couldn't hear it to feel it and that's why I couldn't repeat it. I wouldn't be saying anything to him now.

Several more minutes elapsed. Since none of the three of us knew where we were supposed to meet our sensei, staying right there by the bench under the tree seemed like the best course of action. Gradually Ichigo was the first to become restless and rather than sit around and twitch until one of us decked him, he climbed the tree and explored the top branches. Playing the part of the girlfriend, I obliged his antics with a, "If you fall and break your neck, you won't be missed." The unexpressed concern was met with a bout of maniacal laughter. This was what happened when certain people stayed up and watched horror movies all night long. You turned into one of them.

Takashi, feigning disinterest, glanced up the tree crown at Ichigo, then at me.

I held up a hand. Don't ask.

He didn't. There was no simple explanation for it and only a fool would care to peer between the layers. To understand Ichigo, you had to enter Ichigo's world and no sane human being should do so out of his own volition unless he was prepared to deal with some very strange things. For all his preeminence and self-worship, Takashi understood _that_ at least.

It was in a poof of smoke that our sensei announced his presence. I shouldn't have been as shocked as I was. Really, given whom and what he'd had to deal with sixteen years previously, it was only natural they'd stick him with the second generation and same cell number. I just hoped he was prepared to deal with our particular brand of dysfunction. Still my eyes opened up large and I got a few blinks in there before the mask of nonchalance went back on. I couldn't do dead face like Takashi but I could do a mean approximation.

I sat forward, loosely linking my hands together under my chin. "Hn."

Takashi simply folded his arms. "I should have known."

Our _sensei_ merely viewed up wearisomely out of his one eye. "I suppose there's no need for an introduction, is there?" He made a show of looking around. "Unless I'm mistaken, there were three members?"

A crash to the ground and a flurry of leaves announced his return to the scene. After a moment of soft groans and grunts, a hand poked up from behind the bench, "I'm here…" before flopping down again. A second later Ichigo vaulted over the top of the bench and plopped between us. Takashi moved away an inch, which Ichigo leered at. Then he roughly kissed the side of my face, which I rewarded with a slap. It was like a halfway comedy act.

"I got the landing right!" he said cheerfully.

"Too bad." Guess who said that.

I swiftly caught Ichigo's fist the second it rose. "Six feet under, Ichigo, the birds _will_ keep singing."

"Grr." Ichigo yanked his fist free but put it where it belonged: in his lap. He settled down begrudedly and muttered, "Who's the old man?"

Both Takashi and I didn't even bother. We just sighed. Talk about bad first impressions.

But strangely it seemed like our sensei was _loving_ it. You could see it even though most of his face was hidden by thick black cloth. "Ichigo, I sincerely had hoped your memory would have improved by now."

Ichigo finally looked up and actually looked _at_ him. "Oh! Kakashi-sensei! I knew it was you. Ne, you're not going to get mad about the old riff? I was only kidding, heh."

Kakashi-sensei eye-grinned. He glanced over the three of us again. If there were a way to get inside his head, I'd give up both of my hands and feet for a glimpse. When his eye fell on me, it lingered there. Shyly I smiled and self-consciously averted my chin. We hadn't spoken to each other since I made that comment to him outside of the library almost a year ago. Doubtless he probably had been one of the people who followed me during those tense first few weeks. I wondered how much he knew about me?

Favoring us once again, he put both hands in his pockets. "Let's start over. Hi, my name is Hatake Kakashi and I'll be your sensei for Team 7." He paused, perhaps to savor the irony or have a little moment of _deja vu_. "You're only the third team I've taken under since I became a Jounin. You may hate the thought of it but you're going to be seeing a lot of me and each other so get used to the idea now."

How direct. I could grow to like this guy.

"Today I'm going to start you guys easy. You get to tell me your names, what you like, what you don't like and what your goals are. I'll go first." He pretended to think. "There's not much I like and there's not much I particularly don't like. My goals? Well, helping you reach yours is all you need to know of mine."

"How puerile," Takashi muttered, staring off into the void. Sensing from the silence he was expected to go next, he resigned himself to the annoying situation. "My name is Hayabusa Takashi. I like to train and I like birds." That made sense his clan specialized in training falcons for combat. "I can't stand stupid people and I hate it when others get in my way." Surprise. Not. "My goal is to make ANBU before I turn sixteen."

"Me next!" Ichigo jumped around in his seat and settled. "My name is Uzumaki Ichigo. I like my girlfriend," (I made a "Tch!" noise), "training and spending time with my parents. I can't think of anything I hate although there are a few people that piss me off." This he said shooting a withering look at Takashi who pretended he didn't exist. "My goals are, well, can I say more than one?" The Jounin nodded. "First I want to become a Jounin and then I want to open a bookstore."

"You can read?"

Ichigo tried punching him again but I simply grasped his wrist in one lazy movement. A firm squeeze gave the warning and he simmered down again. Boy needed a choke collar.

Finally it was my turn. I grew suddenly nervous under the three male gazes, all of them openly curious of what I would say. So was I. It occurred to me then I had given little thought to my adult future because I was working so hard to create one for the current me. In hindsight my goals seemed petty and miniscule next to theirs. They looked awfully eager to hear what I had to say. _Okay, make up some quick crap._

"My name is Uchiha Katana," I spoke to the ground at first and then stared straight ahead. "I like to train, fix things, visit new places and, um, hunt."

"What do you hunt?" Takashi shocked all of us, including himself, with that question.

"Rabbits, mostly. Occasionally I'll go after bigger game." I made a slight movement with my shoulders. "Shot a tiger once." I didn't add I also used to shoot at pursuing ninja just as well. I figured it was something they didn't need to know - not now anyway.

Takashi nodded appearing duly impressed if only barely.

I went on. "I don't like… well, there's a lot of things I don't like. I don't like being chased, I don't like being cornered and I don't like it when people say bad things about my father even if they are true." I tried to think if there was anything else that they needed to know. "I guess if I had a goal, it would be to pay off the estate by the end of the year."

Ichigo made a loud noise with his lips rather like a horse sighing. "A _real_ goal, Katana."

"That _is_ a real goal."

"No, it's a responsibility, like washing your clothes and paying the electric bill. C'mon." Elbow.

I rested my chin on my palm. A real goal? "I suppose if you can call it a goal…" I lifted up. "I'd like to restore some dignity to my family's name and to show people there's more to a person than just a name. I would also like to be a writer. I've been to a lot of places and well, I'd like to share what I've seen and done." I shrugged. "There are things I know I think others should know about."

"Like what?" Takashi was astonishing us all by leaps and bounds today. I think it's because none of us had ever said two words to one another other than 'Excuse me,' 'Move it!' and 'You asshole!'

"That not all missing nin deserve to be hunted down and murdered." I didn't say this angrily nor did I express contempt. "I'd like to tell the stories of the ones who can't speak for themselves."

Ichigo seemed to accept this readily enough…. Not surprising, Ichigo totally accepted my ideas and ambitions for myself even if he personally had no interest in them.

Takashi was now viewing me with more interest than before. I suspected I'd have to be fielding a lot of questions in the near future. Our sensei eyed me in such a way it made me feel like his personal science project. Still and all he didn't seem the type to sit and ask questions. He struck me as more of the type of person who watched and waited and figured things out for himself. A sense of relief washed over me. _I suppose I ought to count myself fortunate_. Not all of the things I knew were things I wanted to repeat in polite company. Or think about again.

With our introductions squared away, our team retired for the rest of the day with instructions to meet tomorrow in another location. Kakashi didn't spare any one of us a glance or a by your leave before departing into the afternoon, slipping away as if he had been born slithering between the shadows.

"What a weird guy." Takashi slipped off the bench and moved to go. "See you tomorrow." Before he left he looked back at us. "Uzumaki."

"Yeah?" Ichigo went on defense instantly.

"Don't step in anything." With a derisive sneer he departed, ignoring the generous one fingered salute the blonde gave his back.

"Someone up there must hate me, I swear." Ichigo watched the guy go, seething and growling. "Out of all the possible combinations, they stick _me_ with _him_! How the hell are we supposed to be a team if the guy I'm supposed to bond with is someone I don't give a rat's ass about?"

"It's so you learn to give a rat's ass about him," I replied, inwardly wondering why he couldn't use that thing on his neck for what it was supposed to be used for. "Really, it's not as bad as you think."

He pouted.

Oh, I could not _not_ touch him when he did that. I put an arm around his shoulders. "Oh squirrel, you couldn't have lucked out better. I'm not crazy about parakeet man either." He laughed. "But _we're_ together too so I think everything balances out here."

At my words Ichigo brightened and gave me a bruising hug. "Thanks Katana. Least now we'll be able to spar more and I'll have an audience to watch me beat you into the ground!"

I pushed him off. "It talks but can it walk?"

He smiled evilly at the challenge. "You just watch me, girl. I'll have you _begging_ me to marry you."

"I doubt it. Just make sure you don't let what you feel hold you back."

He stopped, eyes rounding with confusion. "How would… You're nuts, why would it?"

I took a deep breath. "There might come a time when you're going to have to make a difficult choice. Me or something else and the right answer might not be me."

"Katana…" he trailed off and then suddenly came back strong. Those eyes were two cut emeralds. A sigh of long-suffrage escaped him and immediately I knew he was getting ready to tell me something important. "Listen…" he raked a hand through his hair, searching his thoughts. "I haven't known you very long and I… I admit I honestly don't get you sometimes, why you say what you say, why you think what you think. But I'm cool with that because that's just you and that's your right. Same goes for that arrogant parakeet guy."

His fingers unconsciously reach for mine, loosely hooking them together in the space between our bodies. "My father taught me," he said slowly, softly, "that if you love someone, you better love enough to see beyond the darkness inside their hearts. To love them enough for the both of you because there might be a time you'll have to look them in the eye, go deep inside their soul and face something truly ugly. To love them for what is buried in the ugliness, the very thing that made you love them in the first place." My fingers slid over his even more tightly; he squeezed our hands together. "I believe that, Katana," jade met onyx, "I think I can do that…I really can… and I promise you that if you should fall, I'll catch you."

Heart fluttering, I felt something churn inside, twisting… The fierceness in which Ichigo spoke, his gaze piercing through mine, his whole body squaring telling me he was making the most vicious of vows. I knew I was talking to a man who had made up his mind a long time ago about what was important to him. For me, for anyone to impose the irremediable on him was an exercise in capriciousness. Nothing was insurmountable because to him what he felt in his heart was always right. Not even Ichigo understood the ramifications of such a vow, the power in which it would hold over him, over me, even over Takashi. For now I didn't know what to think. Only that somehow this insane idealist made an inwardly bitter cynic fill with hope for a screaming world on fire. If only for a moment, for the time it took for me to crush my lips against his, hands on either side of his ruddy face. Drawing apart a breathless second later, I murmured gently, "You fucking optimist." He beamed against my pseudo hostility for he heard what I really meant to say beneath the crude language.

We parted ways that day, all three of us, with no inkling of how we were to retrace the steps of the past, falling into the same roles already played and told, living, loving and fighting the same battles, facing down the demons dwelling inside each one of us. Even the number - 7 - was the same in its iconic symbolism. In our innocence lay our sins waiting to be met. It would be up to us to break the cycle. Or continue it…while the past itself was trying to outrun the future, to prove to the present we can be redeemed and that even the worst of sinners can still have within them a heart that refused to be killed.

* * *

Ichigo walked away from the first meeting with his Genin cell with mixed emotions. He thought about his promise to Katana, wondering if she understood that he meant and clung to every single word he had spoken. He decided she probably couldn't - not until she came into it on her own. Did she know how much he loved her? Ichigo didn't know… not because he was a simple boy but really he truly didn't know. He didn't doubt what she felt for him and despite the mercurial nature of their relationship, he trusted her completely. She was it for him… he couldn't see the other girls anymore. But it made perfect sense. Never before had he fought a woman he felt challenged by, a woman that destroyed the gender differences in battle. It wasn't just him either. On the battlefield she was able to make even the most chauvinistic of shinobi get serious. 

She didn't know it because she was never around when they talked about it but Ichigo had heard the whispers. How dangerous the girl might be, how foolish it was for Konoha to accept someone who willingly traveled with a missing nin, that what was the Hokage thinking in granting her respectable status. The adults had been children when her father had deserted the village. Some of them had seen the state his father had been in when he'd arrived home, his body broken hands empty. Ichigo knew they were just pouring their insecurities onto an innocent girl who dreamed otherwise, who was not unlike most children her age who just wanted somewhere to belong. Wisely most of them refrained from speaking out, merely content to watch from the sidelines, not wanting to drive her into a mold of their creation. Konoha had a Uchiha again and they were content enough with that.

It was shallow… but if it was enough to let her live in peace, Ichigo was equally content to let them think that way. Besides, he thought with a superior grin, she was carving her own name out among her peers. Once enemy to her own gender, they now saw her as something of an inspiration. The boys saw her as a threat to their dominion and strove to make themselves better than any man _or_ woman. Takashi's interest in her, his actually speaking to her today said volumes about her impact on the rest of the Genin.

And what of himself? Ichigo was happy to let her have the limelight even if she wasn't aware of it. In his mind he wanted not fame just simply recognition and respect, he wanted to be good at what he was and that was to be a ninja. He wanted to protect the village, he wanted to raise a family someday and just be happy and if he could do all of those things with her, then he had truly done what he wanted to do with his life.

Do things… oh crap! Ichigo picked up the pace from a casual stroll to a full on sprint. He had promised his mother he'd stop by Tsunade-sama's office to pick up some medical texts she had left there. She was going to help perform some kind of surgery tomorrow and what she needed was in those books. If he arrived home without them, she wouldn't get mad but she'd be annoyed and wave her hand at him like he was a pesky fly. He hated those more than anything else… he preferred her rages to that wearied can't-you-do-anything-right? look.

He was determined not to fail this time.

Merrily he showed up at the Hokage's home, taking the stairs outside two at a time. Rounding the corner to jump over the last few steps to the landing he stopped short when he saw someone sitting just outside of the Council entrance hall. Perched sitting on the building's edge overlooking most of Konoha, was an ANBU or someone who looked an awful lot like one. He was a dark shadow cut against the blue cloud studded sky made even more mysterious by the strange white wolf mask he was wearing and the thick sharp black hair that framed it. Ichigo paused unsteadily, one hand on the staircase railing, gazing up guilelessly as the slit eyes of the mask turned down to regard him from a distance. Ichigo wasn't even aware his mouth was slightly agape until he closed it again.

Not from here, an inner alarm informed him. He noticed the absence of the Leaf on the man's person. Here he wavered, unsure. _Should I do anything? If I did would he kill me?_

He was saved from needing to act by a woman stepping outside. Her blond ponytails flowed in the breeze. She seemed unconcerned with the strange ninja's presence when she saw him and immediately Ichigo relaxed. Okay so this guy was supposed to be here. Nothing wrong with that, everything was cool. Tacking on his trademark grin, he pushed off the handrail and landed on the landing before the older woman. When her usually narrow hazel eyes focused on him, his grin widened.

"Oh no," she muttered. "Ichigo, what are you doing here?"

Even though he knew she was an old woman, Ichigo didn't care. She was pretty hot looking in that illusionary guise. He winked, "To see you, _ai_."

She blinked and then caved to startled mirth. "You're turning into quite the charmer, kid." Toe tap. "What do you need?"

"My mom asked me to raid your office," he explained bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"She did, did she?"

"Uh-huh, you know, go through all your personal things, your secret files, your underwear drawer - HEY OW!" He clutched his head and fumed. "Why do you women always get so offended about your underwear? Ne, did you know a bra makes a great slingshot?"

Tsunade pressed two fingers against her temple. It was way too late in the day for this. "Kid, just do what you need to do," she pressed the key into his hand. "And don't ever tell me what you did in there."

Curling his fingers around the key, he shot a victorious grin at the mystery ninja. "Nice threads." He saluted both of them before rocketing out of there, yelling his adieus over his shoulder.

Tsunade sighed heavily. "He's worse than his father. I don't think he even has an off switch." She smiled slightly and glanced at Sasuke meaningfully.

"You let him reproduce?" Yes, Sasuke had gotten the picture the second he laid eyes on the boy. He would never let Tsunade know that his insides were badly shaken for it was as if he had stepped back into the past for a brief moment.

The Fifth smirked. "There was no 'letting' involved." Returning to the matter at hand, Tsunade fished a newly written scroll from her pocket. "The Council reconvened this morning. This is their answer."

Sasuke took the proffered scroll and gained the liberty of reading it since he had been instructed to do so. Genuinely taken aback he glanced up. The woman merely folded her arms over her generous bosom and gave him an assured smile. "The father of the leader of that clan and me go way back. He helped me out of a gambling debt once. I don't know if the old codger remembers it but I do quite fondly. This is my gratitude."

He snapped the message shut. "Is that the only reason?" he echoed her words from last night to her.

"No. The Council would not send our best if it weren't for the threat. 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' The clan wants the Sound off their land. The valley in which that clan resides has an easy access route to Konoha. If the Sound were to take control of that there would be nothing stopping them from getting here with ease. Forming an alliance with that reclusive clan will be of mutual benefit."

Made entirely too much sense. "Should I wait for you to assemble a team or do I go on ahead?"

"Wait." She ignored the way he stilled. "It's been a decade since any of our ninja were sent on missions through that country and none of whom I have dispatched for mission details have been through there. You'll have to be their guide."

Nod.

Tsunade watched him, feeling a surge of sympathy for the young man. "Do you want to see her…before you leave?" she asked softly. "I won't discourage you, it's your right."

"No." Sasuke gazed across the wide expanse of the village he had once called his home. "If I see her I won't be able to leave."

She leaned beside him, eyeing him in mild jocularity, satisfied with his reluctance and relishing in it. "Since when did you let anyone stop you?" she teased lightly.

It was a long time before he would answer. "When you have children, you're forced to look at things differently. If I had known then what I know now, I would not have left." He turned his gaze back to the Hokage. He would say it to her because he knew if he couldn't say it to the most powerful person in Konoha, he would not be able to say it to the two that needed to hear it the most. "I'm sorry."

Tsunade touched his arm. Once upon a time physical contact would have been shoved away viciously. Now he bore it comfortably. Odd, how he had changed and he hadn't even realized how much. "Remain here until I've assembled the team. Meet them at the exit in one hour." She removed her hand and walked back inside without another word. She looked back once and shook her head, a faraway smile playing on her lips. Maybe it _was_ because she was getting soft in her old age, hell if she'd care. But maybe…just maybe it was possible the shattered pieces of a dead dream could be pieced back together again.

* * *

Ichigo jogged out of the building, arms akimbo with several medical books. He paused again when he saw the strange masked man, still at his vigil. Going to stand behind him, he waited quietly until the man turned around again. 

Not at all feeling the unease he thought he should be feeling, he asked. "What're you looking at?"

"The view." He had a deep voice, probably what a girl might have called sexy.

"Cool." He thought and for some reason he felt prompted to ask this next question. "How does it compare?"

The wolf looked out again. "It doesn't."

The boy grinned again and kept going.


	13. Missions and Differences

_"WHAT?" _

The blast of noise was enough to shake the very foundation of the building to rubble. Luckily the tired old thing was up to the assault, not that it helped much in the case of the folk who happened to have the poor luck of standing beside the thing that had made such an awful hullabaloo.

Tsunade was long used to the noise and remained infuriatingly unaffected by the high decibel onslaught to her eardrums even though he was shouting at her only inches from her regal face. Her manicured hands remained laced together before her. Her only visible reaction was a frown and a silent gesture with her eyes that he please take his hands off her desk and get out of her face because she was still the Hokage dammit. This had significant meaning for the person who had been so damn close to getting on the chair only having to deal with _this_ annoying obstacle.

Teeth gritted behind the grim set of his mouth Naruto clenched his fists together and glared at the older woman balefully. Neji choosing to risk resting a hand on the other man's shoulder prevented him from doing anything regrettable. With difficulty the number one noisiest ninja (former if you counted about half the noise his own son made) stepped back among the others who had been summoned from their homes for the sudden urgent call to duty.

"You heard me correctly." The Fifth sighed then, her years showing through the simple exhalation. "Normally at such a crucial time as this, I wouldn't have asked you to come here at all. Unfortunately due to the severe nature of this matter, we're going to have to put things off for the present." This she said looking directly into Naruto's eyes. _I'm sorry,_ she was saying, _but I need you on this mission, please understand._

He did. He understood so well it pissed him off beyond being able to express it without unleashing Kyuubi (rationally he knew he was overreacting and administered an inner rebuke). His dream was so close to being realized and the child inside him, the one he still hung onto even now,was clutching its head and screaming.

Oblivious to the storm going on within the man, the Fifth shifted her gaze to the rest. "I trust you read over the mission details. Any questions you have, ask them now."

Rock Lee stepped forward, raising his hand, which earned him an inner chuckle from his comrades. Some habits didn't die with time and nobody expected Konoha's beautiful green beast to change.

She nodded.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama," the young man spoke ever respectfully. He had grown into a bright-eyed version of his sensei, although he'd readopted the long braid of his youth (to symbolize his humble origins, he'd proclaimed when someone actually broke down to ask). "Excuse me for asking this but the 'details' are sketchy and suspicious. This nameless clan has remained reclusive in an isolated valley they've, up until now, have fought tooth and nail to keep outsiders from passing through. Suddenly they need help. I understand it's the Sound and that if they gain control over the lands, it will directly affect Konoha. It's just…" he struggled to find the means to express his doubts.

Neji helped him along. He was the team leader so he felt the most anxiety although naturally he never showed it. "There is nothing on the clan, no information except that you knew the present clan leader's father so many years ago. This clan also keeps a tight lid on its activities and their only known allies were wiped out under mysterious circumstances." The Hyuuga arched an eyebrow when he saw her lips and eyelids twitch ever so slightly. He wondered what she was hiding.

"Yeah," Naruto felt like he needed to say something. "How do we know this isn't a trap? They asked us to send our best. This can't get any more red flag if it wanted to." He made a pewy face. "I don't like it."

The Hokage nodded. "I sympathize with your concerns and that's why I've taken preliminary precautions. After you arrive and have sent word, another team will be sent out composed of those specialized in stealth and espionage. They will not engage the enemy, the clan or any of your team. You won't even know they're there." She smirked. "Believe me, these kids are the best."

_Kids? Aw fuck…_ Naruto visibly drooped. He hoped they were all over fifteen.

Tenten behind Naruto and standing beside Yamanaka Ino blinked her large brown eyes. She wasn't thrilled about the mission and had a bad feeling about the whole thing. Poor Ino was in a bad way… she actually had been called to replace Sakura, who couldn't make it because of that surgery she needed to perform the next day and had respectfully refused it on basis that she could not let anyone else perform this surgery in her stead. The nature of the case was particular to her berth of knowledge and Sakura would be damned if she lost anyone on her table again. Only Naruto knew how deeply the Genin team's deaths had affected her and didn't try to persuade her to change her mind. He didn't want to.

Ino hid her hands behind her so no one would see how her fingers had tied themselves into knots. It had been a while since she'd been on such a dangerous mission. She wasn't exactly a mednin by any means, knew enough to get by but only that. Ordinarily she wouldn't have been sent on medical status. Unfortunately Konoha was again shorthanded on mednin and could not spare anyone else. Having so much riding on her abilities, Ino was determined to rise to the challenge. Her fingers tightened together painfully. Noticing the stress in the younger woman, Tenten ghosted her fingertips against her arm in a silent gesture of assurance, making the ache in her stomach ease somewhat. _You'll be fine_. Ino glanced at her and smirked with a slight toss of her short pale blonde hair. _Of course I will, you just watch out for you._

Tenten twitched a faint smile, showing she understood.

Meanwhile Tsunade rested her eyes on each Jounin in turn. How time had molded these children into the men and women they were now, bearing a few more scars, a few more regrets and grown in ways none of them could have conceived of. Naruto most of all, he wore his feelings like an albatross and of the four standing with him, his eyes showed his heart and soul to the world like no one else.

So much more was riding on this mission than any of them knew. For the one to lead them across No Man's Land was the very one whom had had a very large impact on their concepts of trust, friendship, love and teamwork. He was the epitome of the rise and fall of something that could have been so much more.

Would they ever know? Would he reveal himself to them? Or would he, in his shame, remain behind the anonymity of his mask and allow just one more barrier to separate him from the world?

"Your guide awaits you at the village exit," she intoned. "Good luck to you all…and come home safe." They nodded, bowed and one by one began to leave the office. "Naruto, a moment?"

The blonde paused and came back to her desk, waving to Neji glancing back who nodded. He waited, studying her thoughtfully.

The woman lowered her hands from their imperious position. "Officially this is none of my business," she began, uncertain of how to proceed. "Naruto, as you know being Hokage is as much about image as it is about duty. While it seems unfair the public tends to focus more on what they see rather than what they know." She paused and leveled with him, hating to have to push this on him moreover seeing as he seemed to have yet to grasp it.

Naruto withered internally; he knew what she was talking about. He knew she was just trying to spare him some headaches. He nodded, the movement barely noticeable, his eyes dull and subdued, quite different from the vibrancy they had exuded only moments before. "_Hai_," he said softly.

Tsunade gentled and made light of the fact they were alone and she didn't need to play the power card now. "Brat," she began lightly derisive, to make him look up. "Quit fighting it, okay? Don't make her wait. She already knows what she wants, you just need to step up."

Astonished, Naruto blinked rapidly. Was it really that uncomplicated? For so long he'd wanted the only thing he thought he couldn't have. "Thanks Tsunade-baachan." He grinned his Naruto grin. "I'll think about it. _Sayonara_!" Then true to form he bolted out of her office like he used to do so many years ago.

Alone once again, Tsunade was seized then with the sudden urge to seek out a certain old friend and have a drink or two. One for the road she was on and one for the road she was leaving behind. Let the world go on… she had earned this.

* * *

When the team arrived at the exit they were a bit puzzled when they didn't see anyone waiting by the open gates. It took about a few seconds of exchanged looks of perplexity before Ino nudged Naruto in the side and muttered, nodding in the direction indicated. "There's a man lying on a bench over there." 

While the others watched, Naruto turned and without a word approached the bench. Said individual was lying on his back, arms behind his head in the appearance of total and utter relaxation. He wore a white wolf mask framed by locks of black spiky hair, and brown and green ANBU fatigues. There were no identifying marks to signify where his allegiances lay or even where he was from. His chakra signature was totally unreadable (although only Neji was able to note this).

Naruto squinted down at the person. "Hey. Are you the guide?"

The wolf, as he had been mentally dubbed in all their minds, lazily kicked up his legs and rocked to his feet. "I am." His voice was even and calm yet contained a nuance of misgiving almost as if it were conveying a hidden threat. He canted his head and Naruto could feel himself being sized up through the eyeholes. It lingered before it shifted in the direction of the waiting team. Eventually he rose to his feet and walked toward the rest in measured strides while Naruto followed warily. Ever since the Haku incident he had held a certain amount of disfavor for masks. They hid things. Things you needed to know that you were better off knowing and not knowing at the same time.

Silently the man moved through the small group, each one stepping out of the way as he came through to the front. The women unconsciously memorized the way his muscles played under his clothing and the easy manner in which he walked. Ino wished she could see the rest of him because all he needed now to complete _that_ build was a lovely face to match. He faced them and there was an uncomfortable pause; all five could feel the man's gaze.

"Who are you?"

The wolf focused on the Hyuuga, completely blunt. "A person usually introduces himself first before asking for another's name."

_This guy, _Naruto thought,_ is a complete busybody._

Someone else thought so too. Neji resisted the urge to use the Byakugan on him. There was something distant and arrogant about him, something that reminded him much too well of himself. He contented himself with clenching a fist at his side and maintaining his blank exterior. "My name is Hyuuga Neji."

The stranger appeared satisfied - although hard to tell given they couldn't see his face. "My kind don't have names," he returned after a significant pause. "We lose them when we become what we are. My comrades call me Wolf so you may do the same."

"Well, that makes sense," Lee murmured mostly to himself.

"Let's go," Tenten decided to move things along. "If we travel at a fast pace now, we should be able to make good distance before nightfall." She nodded at the masked man who inclined his head once before leading them off at a fast clip.

Traveling at the head beside Neji and watching their guide's back, he muttered. "Neji, what do you think?"

Neji cut his friend a sidelong glance, inwardly scolding the man for his lack of complete discretion. His analysis skills were the best of the five and he remained unsurpassed among the ranks in this field save for his cousin. Naruto relied heavily on his ability to read between the lines. Yet this time he couldn't seem to concoct anything substantial about the person leading them.

"He's completely closed," Neji muttered back. "His chakra is hidden and his body language is unreadable. There's no way to predict what he'll do."

Huh, somehow it didn't shock him at all. Why would it, the guy had taken great pains to hide every aspect of what he was from their notice. The perfection of his cover was impenetrable. Not that it truly mattered…as long as he was what they thought he was and leading them where they thought they were being led. It was only a small niggling worry in the back of Naruto's mind. Wherever they wound up, however this mission went, they'd see it through to the end. A small vicious smirk teased his mouth. That's why Tsunade had sent _them_.

* * *

They traveled for three days, most of the afternoon on the fourth day and part of the evening until the guide signaled they stop by a stream for the remainder of the eventide. "We won't encounter another river until we reach the mountain pass," he explained before anyone could open his or her mouths to inquire about the abrupt action. "I advise against stopping for prolonged break periods during the next two days. The region between here and the pass is riddled with canaille who specialize in assaulting ninja…and they're very good at it." 

Tenten relaxed against a log, arms supporting her body. "Can't be too difficult," she interjected. "If you were able to avoid them." Lee sat beside her near her feet, one arm over a bent knee. A few feet away, Neji sat leaning against a tree, one ankle crossed over the other, idly handling a kunai, occasionally twirling it with his fingers. Ino sat near him, head cradled in her arms draped atop bent knees, her eyes closed. Naruto, however, was completely mellow, stretched out in an open patch of grass with his arms behind his head. He kept both eyes on the wolf that sat near the river on a large stone. There was something vaguely au courant about his brooding posture under the bright moonlight.

"Only because I was alone," he replied coolly. "A large group like this, however, attracts attention. I suspect we'll have our hands full no matter what we do."

"Feh," Naruto threw out, totally unconcerned. "Let 'em try." He crooked a thumb at himself. "Nobody need do a thing, I'll protect all of you guys."

"Hn." Neji smirked. Lee just smiled and shook his head. Tenten rolled her eyes and Ino just smiled slightly even though her eyes remained closed. They were used to his bravado and had seen him back it up enough times to believe it.

The wolf made a quiet sound that resembled a chuckle.

Naruto sat up, one arm over his knee. "Hey, don't laugh. You aren't in any position to pass judgment on me Mister Dark and Mysterious." Quick pause. "Why don't you lose the mask? You're among friends here - allies anyway."

The white shape turned in his direction and then away again. "No."

Naruto felt egged on, only because he had an inner love of prodding the stoic types to see how much it would take to get an open reaction. "What, scared somebody'll think you're ugly? Believe me, nobody cares."

"You would."

Oh? Naruto arched an eyebrow. "So you _are_ ugly?"

Silence.

Okay, that was bad, low even. Here he thought the guy was just shy, he didn't actually think… Naruto immediately felt contrite and tried to play it off with a nervous laugh and rubbing the back of his neck. "Na, I'm sorry Didn't mean to make you feel bad. But, heh, really it's okay."

"Thank you. But I still must decline." The head turned again and gazed into the moonlit sky.

Ah, well, to each their own. Fine, if it was so important to him the guy could keep his face to himself. Naruto shrugged and let his body fall back against the grass again, arms cradling his head. He gazed at the stars above and inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air before exhaling again. The air was rich with the scent of the forest, the stream, the earth, animals… thanks to the enhanced senses granted to him by the Kyuubi, he was able to experience them on a level most humans couldn't. God, _this_ was living, he didn't care what anyone said. Sure, most missions sucked however if they came with more of these evenings attached to them, he'd probably complain a lot less.

Everyone had slid into the world of dreams while Naruto remained awake. From his saying what he did before, he had been chosen to be first watch despite the fact the wolf had generously offered to go first. Trust had yet to be established, obviously, although this didn't seem to bother their messenger/guide too much. Not that they could tell… naturally.

Restless after only a half an hour, Naruto sat up again and glanced toward the rock. Unsurprisingly he noted the other man hadn't shifted his position nor appeared about to. Since he had yet to fall asleep, he decided to join their strange companion. They could be insomniacs together (and he could keep a better eye on him sitting right there). He swung up and plopped beside the man careful to leave enough space between them so the other wouldn't feel like his personal boundaries were being violated. There was more than enough room and it was a hot night out besides.

The wolf shifted slightly appearing unsettled at Naruto's nearness and seemed to debate on moving away. Thankfully he changed his mind and stayed where he was.

Naruto examined him critically. "I don't bite." Ah yes, he had his attention. "Heh, listen, I'm not your average ninja but I promise you, I'm good."

"Your Hokage would not have sent you otherwise."

Nod. "Just so we're on the same page." Naruto craned his neck to the side to get a crick out of it. "So why doesn't this clan have a name? That's pretty unusual."

At length, the wolf replied. "The clan was founded by several unrelated individuals who came from a variety of places. Every four years clan heads rotate and as they do so does the so-called ruling 'family.' They've remained nameless to stay anonymous and to avoid inside power struggles. You might be surprised how much clout simply a name can have."

_Yeah, don't I know it, damn it._ Naruto nodded having been scorned by others simply because a certain someone dropped his name and got instant respect and attention. It worked the other way too, Naruto knew, and when he used to drop his name, the reaction he got wasn't a memory he liked to take out on rainy days.

"I heard you're not a part of the clan," Naruto mused shrewdly, "that you're paying off some sort of debt. Does playing messenger boy fill your quota?"

"No."

Naruto's forehead furrowed. "What if this thing goes on for a long time? You going to be stuck there with them?"

"Whatever it takes, however it takes. This is a worthy cause. I don't mind." Everything he said was so blunt and to the point. Really, he was _such_ a blast to talk to.

"What'd they do for you that you owed them?" Naruto asked curiously. "The clan, I mean."

"Several years ago I was injured badly passing through the valley. They found me and took me in, no questions asked. I promised to return someday to repay them. This is someday."

"Huh." Naruto sounded dubiously impressed even though he hid the fact he was also deeply touched. If true then this man had a lot of fortitude. "That's honorable of you. Normal people would forget, eh heh, _I_ wouldn't of course, but most people would."

"Hn. I'm not most people."

Tired grin. "I could tell." Feeling sleepy, he stretched his legs out comfortably and stretched his body across the wide surface of the rock. Moments later he had drifted off, one arm crooked under his head, body turned on his side facing the messenger. Long, slow, deep breaths assured that the Kyuubi vessel was a sound sleeper. He had always been, after all.

Checking to make sure the others were still sleeping, the man silently leapt down from the rock to crouch by the riverside, making certain the large hunk of granite was between him and the rest of the Jounin team. It'd be abject foolishness not to take precautions even if was for something so mundane. While the mask was designed to fit him like a second skin, he still felt hot, itchy and sticky after wearing it for a few days. With the way things were going he wasn't going to get another chance.

Taking it off, he massaged his face and then bent close to the water's surface. The current was swift so there was no need to splash and make noise. He remained still until his lips and eyelids went numb from the cold before lifting his face again and rubbing it dry with his sleeve. Finally he opened his eyes and stared down at his somewhat distorted reflection in the rushing water. As he did at times like these, he found himself thinking of her. _So this is what it's like. _He sighed. It was amazing how much one person could make you forget so much of yourself…he ought to be the first to know. But this he preferred. This was…good. It was true that it made him worry, it made him exasperated, it drove him crazy. He couldn't say he liked imagining the thought of her being in danger and not being able to protect her and liked it even less imagining how he might react if he found out what trouble that flirtatious quirk might have brought her. No, he didn't like that thought at all.

Sasuke stifled most of these thoughts - he had to so he could see his drive to think beyond it. It dismayed him to discover his initial purpose in life was thrown by the wayside for something that was more important than what _he_ wanted. What _he_ desired. Maybe it was that whole 'letting go' thing again. He wanted to find out. Needed to. After this venture, whatever the outcome, he would go back to her. Wherever his little girl wanted to be was his home and it was about time he owned up.

_Owned up._ He stole a quick glance over his shoulder at the rock Naruto slumbered on. It shook him to the marrow to see his teammate again. Though he pretended not to, he still remembered each and every last word they had exchanged at the Valley of the End. He still remembered standing in the pouring rain staring down at the body of a friend who was more than a friend, better than a brother and no less than one half of the light he had refused to see. He recalled Naruto's destroyed expression as it hit him that Sasuke was really and truly trying to kill him. In those electric blue eyes he had seen some inkling of how important he had been to the yellow haired idiot but in his madness he had refused to see it.

Sasuke's face in the water reflected the same as it had walking through the black hole of his mind toward Orochimaru. He looked back up again and felt something wrench hard inside of him. Dammit, he was such a coward, hiding from him, from them. _This isn't going to work._ He clenched his teeth together angrily. "Che." Not for much longer, that was for sure. He had already caught Neji scrutinizing him once or twice and knew the Hyuuga would figure it out. Not if he would but when, the Byakugan would assure it. The others remained nonchalant and unassuming. Since he was just a guide, they decided he wasn't worth paying too much of a mind to.

Except for Naruto. He had no idea of how to begin to assess how much the blonde was letting on what he knew. There was just as much chance of his already having figured it out as his still being totally oblivious. Already there was no doubt in his mind that the weird bond between them - that bond nothing could kill no matter how hard he tried to - was stirring back to life. They could both feel it even if Naruto wasn't aware of who he was yet.

Sasuke rose to his feet and replaced the mask. He returned to his rock vigil. As he saw it, there was nothing to be done. Still… Despite the fact he would be facing their wrath for what he had done to them, he was glad to see them, all of them. Rock Lee's oddball nice guy disposition. Tenten's mature no nonsense outlook. Hyuuga Neji and his cold nature with an exterior only a few people he allowed to break. Even Yamanaka Ino, the crazy fan girl who used to cling to him like wet plastic wrap, with her semi-malicious feminine wiles and one-upmanship of Sakura.

Sakura… He shook his head. Another guilty memory he didn't want to remember. In so many ways what he had done to her was far worse.

He gazed down again at his companion's slumbering form. Somehow Naruto had managed to work his way out of a normal sleeping position into one that looked entirely too uncomfortable. Some drool had converged in the corner of his mouth and he twitched. When he turned over then, he whacked his bare forehead against the hard granite, causing him to wince, mumble a curse and turn over the other way, still asleep.

Under his mask, the former Avenger smiled.

* * *

"He's late again." 

Ichigo uncrossed his arms from over his eyes and glared up at Takashi who sat near the Memorial. Ichigo was lying spread eagle on the grass, enjoying the sun's rays when the rookie spoke up just then. "Whoa, how long did it take you to figure that one out, genius? It's only been twenty minutes!"

"Shut up. I was making an observation, baka."

The blonde rolled his eyes. Whatever stigma applied to 'dumb blondes' ought to apply to redheads as well if you asked him, which I strongly advised against unless you liked listening to his oral tirades on the unfairness in the world. I'd been the unfortunate audience to Why Does Takashi Have to Be Such An Asshole? (_many_ side-notes are frequently made to this), Why Does Ramen Have to Cost So Much? and my personal favorite Reasons Katana Is the Queen Bitch of the Universe. He was currently working on Why Is Kakashi-sensei Always Late? Recitation date was slated to be performed sometime in the near future, today or tomorrow most likely. Maybe in five minutes, if we're that unlucky.

"Well, the next time you want to make an 'observation,'" Ichigo made 'air words,' "keep it to yourself."

"Advice you should take."

"_Teme!"_ The squirrel king shot up and started to get to his feet. From where I sat beside him, I hooked his elbow. He whined and fruitlessly tried to twist free. "Kat, c'mon, let me kick his ass! Stop stopping me!"

I didn't let go. "No."

"But…"

"No." I finally looked at him and yanked him down hard enough to send him to his ass. "If our sensei catches us fighting like a bunch of wild animals, he'll make us meditate upside down again and I _don't_ want another nosebleed today!"

"Psht. You act like that was _my_ fault."

"It was." Takashi cut in.

"Fuck you."

"Sorry, don't swing that way."

Boys… I shot a glare the number one rookie's way. "Oi asshole, that goes for you too."

My insult pissed him off, I could tell by the narrowing of those tapered amber slits. Ichigo he regarded as a petty annoyance, someone to toy with, play the bait with for amusement before snatching it out of the water again. Rather like a raptor circling his prey, Takashi prodded the situation until he could measure what he was up against. With me, his circling always unleashed something different. Since I could feel he regarded me as a peer equal, for me to come down on him like he was an annoying child burned his pride something fierce. It was not a trump card I enjoyed playing because quite honestly all super-jerkness aside, I held a lot of respect for my fellow Genin. Respect as a shinobi, of course, not as a man. He needed to work on that big time. Looks only got you so far but it doesn't make up for lack of skills and those 'skills' were what Takashi lacked.

"Perhaps we should start without him," Takashi mused, wisely abandoning his game of Light Ichigo's Fuse. "Up for it, Uzumaki?" He eyed Ichigo evilly. Sometimes I swore the man was a born sadist.

Ichigo darkened. He was still smarting from yesterday and he didn't need to walk with a limp for anyone to know he was still feeling the after math. Takashi had tried a few earth jutsus that the blonde whirlwind just wasn't prepared to deal with and it left him completely winded. Kakashi-sensei had had a private laugh over it - been there, done that - and advised Ichigo that he needed to learn how to guard better because his guard was "all over the place."

Relishing in his silent victory, Takashi shifted to me. Wordlessly I rose to my feet and indicated we give the Memorial a wide berth. Ichigo hunched over and watched us from his sulky spectator spot, hating that he couldn't give Takashi back as good as he had given him. I winked at him assuredly _You'll get your shot. _Catching it, Ichigo softened and the tension in his shoulders eased. A tiny smile fought its way out.

When we had achieved some distance and slid into easy battle stances, Takashi spoke. "You're dooming yourself, you know."

I raised an eyebrow. "Dooming myself?"

"You could have any man in Konoha and you're settling for a bottom feeder like him."

I think I liked him better when he didn't open his mouth.

I didn't bother getting angry. "I happen to have good taste." Pause. "I don't see how my dating preferences have anything to do with my becoming a ninja." Swiftly I executed the proper hand seals and whipped a Katon his way. It reached clear across our chosen battle space and singed a large area of grass. Takashi avoided it easily of course it was a matter of jumping out of the way in time. In answer he executed a wind jutsu while still in midair that put the rushing flames out instantly. And he did it without the use of any kind of fan. Yeah, he was that good.

"Old school, Uchiha," he called out to me, landing in a crouch. "Show me something I haven't seen you use in class fifty thousand times."

Though my face didn't show it, I was slightly annoyed. "Want an arrow in your ass then?"

Both of us ignored the seemingly distant sound of Ichigo's laughter.

He narrowed his eyes, showing me he was staid. Predictable opponents he hated about as much as I did. Okay, he wanted something new, huh? When I smiled mysteriously in repartee, I was pleased to see Takashi stiffen; he recognized I was taking his jest seriously. Nonetheless there was no hesitation in his next attack.

Activating the Sharingan, I made the appropriate hand seals. _"Rai Toku no jutsu!"_

Ichigo gasped when Takashi halted midway and was thrown back by an electric shock that disoriented him badly enough to make him stumble before sinking to his knees. "Ghunh." He clutched the sides of his head, blinking several times in faint concern before he sighed in relief. Slowly he peered up at me.

I shrugged and walked back to where Ichigo and now Kakashi-sensei were waiting. I stopped when Kakashi-sensei leveled a steady gaze at me. He and I would be having a long conversation later. I waited for him to launch into some sort of tirade against our training without him present but he simply moved on to telling us when and where our class C mission was to be in his bored manner.

Ichigo almost died when Kakashi-sensei was finished. "Cleaning out a horse stable!" he sputtered. "Uh, yeah, I think I remember, I'm allergic to horses!"

"No you're not," I told him. "You're just traumatized from when Bellflower threw you. Sakura told you not to bother that mare."

He huffed. "And _I_ still maintain that _that_ horse was demonically possessed!"

"All right, kids, enough," Kakashi-sensei interrupted thankfully, making a gesture. "Move out."

Takashi smirked and moved on by Ichigo, ignoring the muttered reprisals the latter gave his back. I let the two boys move ahead of me, consequently allowing me to fall in step with the older man. It was scary how easily all three of us had settled with each other, though I suppose being sequestered together in a tiny classroom for one entire semester had a lot to do with it. It was already four days into our cell and already we knew most of each other's quirks.

I just hoped none of us killed each other.

* * *

This latest generation of Team 7 was probably the vilest mixture of personalities he'd ever seen… It made Obito, Rin and himself look well-behaved and Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru look like teacher's pets. The only one that rivaled theirs was Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura and not even their animosity amounted to this. 

Well, the element of rivalry was already present. But what puzzled Kakashi was he couldn't seem to pinpoint where this heated hatred between the two boys was stemming from. Perhaps it dated back to Hayabusa roughing up the blonde earlier in the year. It would certainly make enough sense.

But perhaps it wasn't complicated at all. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at the dark haired girl with the blue highlights pacing herself beside him. It was odd they'd put two dating students together. Hopefully they wouldn't allow their emotions to govern them when the situation called for a cool head.

Strangely of the three, the one that seemed to have the coolest head on her shoulders _was_ the girl. No surprise there, she had been raised by Uchiha Sasuke. Elements of his influence were prevalent in the girl's personality and mannerisms (though her appreciation for sarcasm was all her own creation). She was a lot further along than the other two in terms of battle experience; he'd seen definitive evidence of _that_ when she managed to grip both of the bells during the bell training - though she wasn't quite fast enough to rip them off. Her handle on her Sharingan was rather good and already she had a number of jutsus in her repertoire. She was a very independent young woman. From what Naruto had told him she hated being treated like a child and was vicious in asserting her ability to take care of her own needs. She was also resourceful and her skills varied … a regular Jane of All Trades (he'd seen the manor). In addition, she held an amazing capacity for social interaction. She snapped on those smiles like shurikens to a target. No, he wouldn't have to worry too much about her.

Hayabusa Takashi's only true detriments were his arrogance and fondness for baiting the short-tempered (although the second one was almost too much fun to watch). Unlike Katana he _knew_ he was good and he didn't like being contested in that aspect, much less by someone like Ichigo. His only failing was in his teamwork… Which was why the number one rookie - and not Ichigo - was the one who got tied up. To their credit, Ichigo and Katana teamed up right away (he suspected Ichigo's parents had told him a few stories). It burned the red haired young man beyond belief. They had only passed because Katana, not giving a damn, had shoved a carrot in his mouth and told him frankly to stop whining. But the boy was not completely hopeless. He was a natural in taijutsu and knew a lot of elemental attacks, earth and wind being his apparent favorites. He had trained two falcons for combat when he was only eight and had a third that followed him from a distance that he only called when he felt he needed the animal's support. Other than those facts, nothing much was known about Takashi's personal habits. He declined discussing his very large family with anyone.

Uzumaki Ichigo…. Well, that boy was an enigma of oddities. Like his dad he had a wealth of stamina, a run on mouth, a short temper and plenty of enthusiasm: not someone you could forget easily and the kid would be damned if anyone cut him out. Ichigo had a bevy of his own quirks. Bad grades but extremely well-read, bad aim and bad defense but a very good offensive. Already he was starting on learning the Rasengan from his father. His speed was decent. He had made the most mistakes during the bell exercise - his "stealth" was a joke. Which was why he made such a good distraction while his girlfriend sneaked in from behind. Apparently he had learned strategic skills from his mother for Katana credited him with coming up with all of the ambush ideas. His stupidity was a mask for an intelligent mind he was too proud to make use of. Kakashi wasn't worried though; he would eventually learn it was okay to be a thinking man's ninja.

They were an odd collection. Takashi seeing Katana as a threat to his domain, Katana playing peacekeeper between the boys while stoking the fire of _both_ their tempers, Ichigo's ire when it came to Takashi and the latter just _loving_ every second of it. They seemed to delight in pissing each other off. It was fodder for another disaster… Why had he bothered?

Kakashi knew why. Maybe he was a fool or he wanted to redeem himself for failing so miserably with the previous Team 7. All those coulda woulda shouldas accumulated into one resounding negative inner voice over the years. The success of his second team after his first encouraged him to take on a third, resolved in thinking yeah, maybe, he could do this again.

Then the names Uzumaki and Uchiha came up.

He had been wrong before. History didn't have to repeat itself. Their children were well on the road to a shared future that had nothing to do with the mistakes of their fathers. In the end things would be different.

Ichigo fell back and pulled Katana in around her waist. "Ne, Katana, want to buy me some ramen after this? Did I mention you look stunning today?"

Clucking womanishly she pushed him off. "Don't touch me."

But then minutes later they were holding hands and the girl was smiling at her boyfriend's stupid jokes again.

His amusement hidden, Kakashi shook his head slightly. Yes, this was going to be interesting.


	14. Snakes and Kidnapping

Cleaning out the horse stable on the Hamasaki property was quite the disgusting ordeal; only something a person would voluntarily do if they were getting paid for it. Since the horse breeder was too elderly to be doing such strenuous work, we made the perfect sort of manpower: youthful and bursting in the bloom of good health. True to form Kakashi-sensei sequestered himself, reading his porn and keeping an eye on us at the same time. Wisely he separated us for individual tasks. It seemed obvious that two or three people working on the same thing was counterproductive.

And the fact things would get done a lot faster without us bickering all the live long day.

Takashi was tasked with moving the horses out to the pasture, something he went along easily with. His family owned several horses and he was used to handling them. He took a certain, hidden delight in it for he loved Thoroughbreds (the breed the owner specialized in). I say hidden delight for while he showed outward distaste for such a mundane job, I saw the fondness in which he treated the animals. He petted and spoke quietly to them to keep them calm when he thought no one was watching. Closet softie.

Ichigo was "stuck" sweeping out the stalls and boy he hated every second of it. Walking by the open barn a few times his mutterings drifted out, causing me to smile in passing. For a boy who turned on those wide grins like light switches, he sure did a lot of complaining in the meanwhile. To his credit he was amiable enough and didn't get up in anyone's face about it. The boy had a certain amount of tact. Every once in a while he amazed me.

Myself, on the other hand, was responsible for grooming Hamasaki's pure white prize brood mare. The animal was finicky, she had trouble tolerating male handlers and nipped and kicked any that came too close. I'd heard she'd been broken in badly by male trainers, hence the reason for her distrust. Normally Hamasaki-san's eldest daughter, Akatsuki, (an unfortunate name for a woman as ever could be had) took care of the mare. She was away for today and the animal needed attendance. Thus it made me, the only female, that was suitable for the job. I didn't mind. Tensai was a sweet creature, very mild-mannered and lively. She enjoyed nuzzling at me with her velvety muzzle, making me laugh when she whuffed in my ear while I was combing her mane. To keep her calm, I sang.

"_My home is far but the rest it lies so close  
With my long lost love under the black rose  
You told I had the eyes of a wolf  
Search them and find the beauty of the beast"_

I noticed our sensei leaning against the barn wall opposite where I was working with Tensai seconds following his soundless appearance. At first I ignored his presence, drying off the horse's legs with several towels after the initial hose down. Finally I reached out and hooked the animal's reigns to lead her back to her stall. Before I did, I turned around and regarded the man in askance.

His arms folded. The scrutinizing look on what I could see of his face answered for me.

I ran my fingers through the mare's mane, parting the silky white locks, searching. "It's an assassination technique," I began without preamble. "I only used a partial amount of chakra, there was no risk of his dying from it." I looked at Kakashi-sensei again. "Takashi asked for something new and he got it. I make no apologies."

"I wasn't asking for one." His tone was laced with a bit of an ironic undertone as if he were amused at my bold assertion. I bet he was.

"Then what do you want?"

Our sensei tilted his silvery head slightly. At length, he explained. "You've been in Konoha for nearly a full year now. Oddly enough you've managed to keep most of your secrets…. But that's to be expected."

As it ought to be. "Wonder not, I don't see how they're anyone's business." My tone was guarded and cool. "_Do demo ii_. I don't have to care about what other people think."

"_You_ do."

I understood what he meant. "Aa… when you are with someone, you are forced to." I led Tensai to her stall, took off her bridle and reigns and proceeded to unfold a brightly striped red and blue blanket to cover her back. "At least that one person." I gave her flank an affectionate slap on my way out. A mild whinny followed. I closed the stall door behind me and half-leaned against it.

"Strangely," I reflected thoughtfully, "even with all the people I've met, the only person I even care about the thoughts of isn't here." I sat on the heels of my hands against the wooden door. An exhalation escaped me; I drew the back of my wrist across my damp forehead. "He was just trying to give me what I said I wanted. I shouldn't feel guilty about it."

Kakashi-sensei listened without moving or letting his eye stray from me. "You feel that knowing your father's fate will give you closure."

The man was wise. Slowly I nodded. I eyed him skeptically, as if asking what jutsu had he used to make me reveal so much and what was the hand seals for it?

But he just made another amused noise. It was the most I could have expected from the Great Copy Ninja. I made a small smile in return.

A crash from somewhere inside the barn denoted the end of the conversation. We waited, listening. After a moment Kakashi-sensei called out, "Ichigo, is everything all right?"

"Uh… yeah…" Ichigo called back weakly, his voice strangely strained. "Everything's fine… uh… shit…"

We exchanged glances. "Are you sure?" I called out next, feeling somewhat concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine… _Iie_, don't… Ghunh." He sounded even more strangled than before.

Definitely not all right. I held up a hand to ward off Kakashi with half an eye roll. "I'll go." Jogging to the end of the stable, checking down the aisles, I searched for my wayward significant other. His chakra signature told me he was somewhere toward the end near the right open door. I found him standing in the light, looking like he had a rake shoved down his back. The broom he was using lied there in the dust by his feet. His fists were clenched at his sides. When I came around to look from the front, his eyes were screwed shut, sweat beading on his skin.

"Oi," I greeted him warily, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. "You're not hurt are you?" Just what we needed right now, a farm accident!

"No," he ground out between clenched teeth, sweating even more. Another strangled squeak issued from his throat. "Is it just you?" He cracked open one green slit to regard me.

"Yes." I was starting to feel apprehensive; there was no apparent danger yet Ichigo was on the verge of dying of fright. Something was going on.

He continued to speak through his teeth. "You won't make fun of me?"

"No."

"You won't tell anyone?"

"I won't tell anyone."

"You swear?"

"Ichigo, _what_ the hell is the matter?" I insisted fiercely.

"Katana," he managed, flinching and grabbing the sides of his head. "There's a… a snake crawled up my pants." He hissed, _"Chikusho!"_ He stilled and it was another moment before he could continue. "I got a good look at it… I think… it's a coral snake. Shit… I can't move…"

I was taken aback. A _coral_ snake? In a barn? In the rural _country_ nonetheless? That must be wrong. Keeping calm for his sake, I moved in closer and placed both hands on his shoulders to ease his trembling. It was clear the kid was phobic otherwise he wouldn't be shaking this badly. "Where is it now?" I asked him very neutrally.

"In-In near my in seam… I'm trying really hard not to freak out here. Just what I need, bad enough I can't throw straight, I'm going to die because of some stupid snake…" His breath was coming in panicked gasps. It sort of pained me to see him so unnecessarily terrified.

Time to take affirmative action. "Cease and desist." I admonished stepping closer to him. "I want you to relax, okay? Think happy thoughts."

"Relax?" He opened his eyes and glared at me, his pupils going small, to large, to small again. "_Relax?_ There's a poisonous _snake_ in my _pants_!" Shaking again.

Today just wasn't his day was it? _Nor mine._ I sighed. If I didn't do something he was only going to keep working himself up. Snakes may not be able to hear but they could probably scent fear and what does a cornered animal normally do? By the time we would have arrived at the hospital he'd be dead before the anti venom could be administered. And I wasn't optimistic enough to assume Kakashi would happen to have some handy. It was time to do things the Katana way.

"_Risu_," I whispered, "look at me."

He did.

I activated the Sharingan and muttered, _"_Calm down_."_ Almost immediately Ichigo stopped trembling and the fear vanished from his face. His pupils dilated as if he were in darkness and not standing in the bright sunlight. It was a mild _genjutsu_; it locked a person's brain in one spot and reduced awareness of outside stimuli down to that of someone in a light doze. It wasn't something you could use in battle but for this situation it was the best I could do. It would wear off in two minutes.

Okay, he was stable. My gaze dropped to his pants and there I hit a dilemma. I debated on whether I ought to call our _sensei_ over to deal with the rest. It wasn't right I be the one to do this. Then I remembered Ichigo didn't want anyone else to know and decided he had suffered enough pride killers for today. Suffering an ignominy in front of me was less than if it had happened with Takashi. Hesitantly I hooked his pants and pulled back the elastic band carefully. He was my boyfriend; he wouldn't care if I did this. I wasn't going to _look_. No way! I wasn't that kind of person.

The predicaments he gets into, I swear. This was the most inappropriate one by far.

Peeking around, I found the scaly culprit, reached in speedily and grasped it. I pinched it behind the head and jaws, ranking it completely immobile. Slowly I drew the reptile's long, sinuous body out and grabbed it around the middle with my other hand. Wow, this was a good- sized snake! I thought, unable to help feeling a sort of fascinated detachment. This particular individual reached from my mid-torso to my feet. How could he have not noticed it until it was all the way up his pants? I stepped back and waited for Ichigo to come out of it. Meanwhile I let the snake wrap its body around my forearm and upper arm, the cool, silky smooth scales gently abrasive against my skin.

Ichigo emerged from the spell, blinked slowly, staring straight ahead before finally taking note of me. Comprehending this scene, he gasped and leapt back a step, stumbling against the barn door, causing it to rattle on its hinges. The fear surged in his eyes at full strength.

I held up the reptile and examined it… and then smirked. "Ichigo, when we get home, I'm taking you down to the library. You need a lesson on snakes."

He opened and closed his mouth several times. "What do you mean?"

"Well, look at the color pattern: red next to black next to yellow. This is a king snake."

"Huh?"

_How does someone who reads so much know so little? I_ released the snake's head and let the snake move along my arm. "King snakes and coral snakes have the same color bands but they're in a different order. A coral snake's pattern has yellow and red beside each other, a king snake has red and black together." The snake's head rested in the palm of my hand. It was such a beautiful animal. Bemused, I smiled again at him - what am I going to do with you?- and shook my head.

"So it's not poisonous?" he ventured tentatively.

"Definitely not."

He sighed with relief, wiped the sweat off his face and quickly swiped at the corners of his eyes. He mouthed, "Thank God," and stood there another moment to get himself under control. After a bit he pinioned me with a glare rimmed over with an odd orange cast. It was the strangest thing. One second his eyes were green and then they weirdly flickered like a flame and extinguished in one instant. It had to have been my imagination. "If you tell bird boy about this, I don't care if you are my girl, I _will_ kill you."

Talk about taking things to the mat! I tried not to snort. "I won't tell."

"Promise?"

"I just did."

Unconvinced, Ichigo stared at me, narrowing in suspicion. "This isn't normal. You usually aren't this human. I won't fall for it, Uchiha. You always use my fears as weapons." The deadliness of the tone drove home the distrust pretty damn loud and clear.

_I_ narrowed my eyes, truly pissed off to an indignant boiling point. I stopped myself from gripping the snake too tightly, lest I inadvertently harm the innocent creature. I growled. "So you've got a phobia, big deal! Everybody's got something they're scared of!" I grabbed a nearby bucket and gently dumped the reptile in and then used the lid of a garbage can to cover it. He bent to retrieve the broom.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Forget it."

We started to go back to our respective chores. I picked up the bucket and hefted it against my hip; Ichigo started sweeping again.

"Where you going with it?" he asked after me.

"I'm going to ask Hamasaki-san if he knows who this snake belongs to. Oops!" The too wide lid slipped off and fell to the ground. I decided to leave it off, it didn't look like the snake was going to be getting rambunctious. "I think it may be someone's pet."

"Oh okay."

* * *

On my stroll to the Hamasaki home, I passed by Takashi. "What's that?" he asked, pausing, eyes going to my burden. 

Wordlessly I held out the bucket. He peered in. Air going backward, he jumped away and hurried on quickly. He glared at me from over his shoulder as if it were _my_ fault he had had such a bad reaction. Impassible, I moved along once again, a small grin fighting to crack across my face. Boy, we were going to make it _so_ far in this profession.

* * *

One Day Later

It was midday when they were attacked. If providence hadn't blessed the Jounin team with Neji and their strange messenger, none of them would have seen it coming. The deadly speed in which the bandits attacked was frightful and morbidly fascinating. Dressed entirely in black, it shrouded their identities completely. It allowed them a frightening sort of anonymity among the shadowy regions of the undergrowth. Evident within minutes was the fact they had staked out this region for a while. They knew where they wanted their quarry.

"Lee! Watch out!" Tenten shouted, butting aside an enemy to call attention to her comrade's back.

Lee executed a flip, landed on another branch in a handstand, catching his enemy's head between his calves in the process. Gripping the wood knuckle white, he used his momentum to throw the man head over heels into the canopy. Neatly landing on his feet in a crouch, he gave Tenten the thumbs up. The woman gave a nod and moved off to cover Ino who was being backed into a corner. The blonde woman was an excellent fighter, unfortunately these lowlifes moved too abruptly for her to use her mind invasion techniques.

_Where's Shikamaru when I need him?_ She was irritated with her misfortune. It always had to be like this, didn't it?

While he had known to expect this, Neji was still thoroughly annoyed by the pointless delay. A fact he made no secret of as he methodically took out his displeasure using all of the dreaded abilities endowed to him by his Hyuuga bloodline. The predators quickly learned that to go within two feet of the man was to sign his own death warrant. Within seconds eight of them lay prone on the forest floor, every chakra point closed. Two of them died on impact.

A few minutes into the foreseen ambush Naruto started to notice something. It both bugged him and interested him at the same time. The wolf guy seemed able to match his movements to his, effectively covering the blonde's back with an odd sort of synchronicity only ninjas fighting at each other's sides for years had. It was like he knew how to anticipate the unpredictability of his movements. He even seemed to know in advance where Naruto planned to attack and automatically cleared the way for him to do so.

_This bastard knows how I fight… but that's nuts, how could he? Unless,_ he sobered_, I've somehow become that easy to see through._ He'd always known that. Kami knew how many enemies loved using it to taunt him… before getting their prides smashed in along with their faces.

It was dreadfully familiar the way he fought, now that Naruto was watching him - albeit out of the corner of his eye. He stayed primarily to taijutsu so there wasn't a whole lot to go on. Even that was incredible to witness. Perfect control, the masked man moved from defense to offense with jaw-dropping liquidity. His fight with his current opponent gradually brought him to the same branch Naruto was engaged in his own one-on-two battle. The brigands had decided this particular Jounin was a bit much to take for a single one of their number so two decided to double-team him.

So nice when the bad guys paid you such a high compliment. It was almost flattering, really.

The wolf eventually wound up back to back with the Kyuubi vessel. Naruto spared him a quick glance. "So are you saving it for a special occasion or what?"

"What?" The wolf drove his adversary back, became annoyed when the idiot insisted on trying to bulldoze him and finished him off with a swift uppercut. It sent the man crashing to the earth. An eruption of leaves assured his demise.

Naruto punched his enemy in the stomach. The man lost his balance and fell. "Your chakra. You haven't used a single jutsu since we ran into these assholes." His buddy tried to give him a sound rebuttal, failed and was sent after his friend. Panting, wiping some blood from a bruised chin, he moved around to face the other fully. The wolf was watching the ground and then above and around them, checking to make sure no more enemies were coming.

"Pyrotechnics only burn down forests," the man replied coolly. "Why waste chakra when all you need is a good right upper hook?"

_So the masked man has a sense of humor._ Naruto smirked. "Heh, never would have pegged you for an environmentalist, wolf-man."

The mask looked at him. "You were harping it back there."

_What did he just say?_ He was certain his hearing had failed him just then. "I was not!" Naruto narrowed his eyes at him, outraged. "I was defending your sorry ass. Just cause defense sucks doesn't give you the right to accuse of harping it." Pause. "And what the hell does that word mean anyway?"

"Playing the strings, going through the motions, not giving a hundred and ten percent." The guide appeared to enjoy being vague to the point in which one desired to throttle him to death. Naruto's fingers itched to grab his throat and shake him silly or until his teeth rattled. Hm, what an appealing notion… He had no idea that the man was actually enjoying the exchange.

Naruto viewed him, confounded. "You always speak in fractured sentences?"

He returned the favor. "You always ask stupid questions?"

That did it. _This guy_ was too much for him to take… which was surprisingly really. It took a certain kind of something to dig down into his skin, his blood and deep into his bones. What _was_ it about him? Why did he have to sound so damn smug, like he knew all the answers?

_Okay, Uzumaki, take a deep breath, don't let him get to you._ He arduously took hold of his temper. _You are twenty-eight years old, not twelve. Getting pissed at some masked weirdo is not going to help the mission. Nor are you._

Reason lost to passion. Chivalric code might stress that you fight with your head and not your heart however as of the moment, they had switched places.

Naruto threw the punch. Fortunately fate chose for Lee to show up in the nick of time (a little thing he took personal pride in) and caught his fist, his dark round eyes squinted in mild irritation. "Naruto," he tightened his grip on the other shinobi. "This is no time to be picking fights with the client. Save it for your enemies."

"_Picking_ fights?" Naruto protested, aghast, tearing his hand free. "He started it!"

The wolf was pretending to examine the leafy canopy, totally ignoring the irate Jounin. He caught Neji waving him over from a lower branch and proceeded down to him.

"It takes two to start a conflict," Lee corrected sagely. "Two to end it and sometimes a third to come in between."

_When you put it through the Fuzzy Brows filter, he almost makes sense._ Combat made him marginally more aggressive than he usually was although it was not all to blame for his current fury. Still Lee could not allow the other to disrupt group synergy nor cast doubt on their ability to work together. There was too much at stake, lives that were at risk that were not only theirs.

Both men grew silent, watching their teammates reconvene. The ambush had only lasted about five minutes. Realizing they were beaten to a punch, the rest of their attackers vanished as quickly as they arrived, quietly gathering their dead and injured away in the process. Their moves, their strategies and the subtle yet detectable communication between them proved more was going on than meets the eye. It was for sure that these guys weren't just out to steal wallets or a cheap thrill. It definitely warranted an in depth investigation by Konoha's task force. Thieves who specialized in assaulting high level ninja were not to be ignored.

Naruto indicated their guide with a nod of his chin. "What do you think of that guy?"

Lee folded his arms, his thick eyebrows drawing together. "He is most enigmatic. That he would hide his very self is odd. However it seems he has no ill intentions toward us. His obscurity may simply be a part of who he is or where he's from. If that's the case, we must respect it." He smiled at Naruto then. "I have to say though, you two seem to have quite a repore going."

"Eh?"

"He talks the most to you. You must interest him."

His friend blanched. "Interest him? The guy's a bastard! You saw how he intentionally pissed me off just now." Naruto rubbed the back of a somewhat stiff neck. Bad idea, sleeping on that rock the other night. "Idiot wouldn't even dodge my fist… it was like he was expecting you to stop me."

Intrigued, Lee tapped his chin, nodding. _Expecting me to stop him._ Now that he remembered it, he had noticed the wolf hadn't attempted to guard against Naruto's punch. And it wasn't like he hadn't seen it coming either. A blind person could have seen that advancing punch. Yes, when you spun it that way it seemed rather off. "Even so I don't believe we have a reason to worry. Not on our side of things, anyway."

"Lee!" Tenten called from somewhere, interrupting him. "Come here!"

"Yes." The man took off, leaving his friend alone on the branch.

Naruto watched the messenger point off into the trees and Neji nod as he responded to whatever he was saying, his usually blank face furrowed in thought. The Nine-tails vessel felt his adrenaline spike, something that normally only occurred when his own chakra levels were depleted. Despite Lee's tepid assurance, he remained unconvinced. Whether he was truly a threat to them, to the mission or to the clan, he didn't - couldn't - fathom. What he _did_ understand was the churning sensation inside his stomach, the sinking wariness sharpening his senses.

Letting the demon fox surface just a bit, Naruto sampled the cool, fresh air. It was imprudent that he would get anything off the man from scent alone. Still it might be able to tell him a few things. Being human with a naturally parsimonious sense of smell, understanding what his nose was telling him required a bit of practice and good old-fashioned _patience_.

Scents ran together and tended to mar each other. It took a bit of finesse to separate them into categories for identification. After nearly seventeen years, Naruto was a pro at it. In one short sniff he was able to discover a bit more about their mysterious companion. Most of the scents were the typical woodsy smells of trees, earth and flowers (flowers?). Others were more worrisome although the scent of blood was mostly from the recent battle. What was this something else though, hidden underneath? It reminded him of something from long ago… and yet something more recent too. For the life of him he couldn't place it.

Damn, this was vexing. Naruto grumbled inwardly, heeding his squad leader's gesture for him to come along.

Once the rest of the Jounin were loosely assembled, Neji signaled for all eyes on him. "Our guide has informed me this ambush was a preliminary feel-out. They'll attack again."

"I knew it," Ino murmured under her breath. "The whole thing felt too slick." Tenten beside her added in agreement.

"What should we do?" Lee asked.

"Not give them a second chance," the guide replied. "I know of an alternate route. It'll cut our journey in half by three hours."

"_Nani?_ Why didn't we take that route in the first place then?" Naruto spoke up in demanding tones. "Are you saying we could've avoided this shit storm?"

The wolf shook his head. "_Iie_. The alternate route is an exclusive itinerary controlled and protected by the clan. They have guard out there twenty-four seven and the password changes up to three times a day. It's also heavily fortified and the traps are not easy to bypass. I tripped a few myself going through there."

Naruto had a hard time containing his guffaw. Neji shot him a warning.

"However," the wolf continued, blithely ignoring the blonde. "There are no guarantees. With the Sound making their advances we should expect things to have changed within the last few days. Be on your guard."

That, Naruto figured, should be obvious.

"Any questions?" Neji asked when it became evident their guide wasn't going to continue.

Heads shook.

_Good._ Neji made the move-out hand signal. They each took up defensive positions in the order in which they were assigned and continued on through the trees. The pace was faster now. With enemies ahead of them and enemies behind them, none of them could predict what would happen next. There was no room for mistakes.

Not anymore.

* * *

Insomnia was a bitch. 

Hours of staring fruitlessly at the ceiling resulted in more hours of staring fruitlessly at the ceiling. Pent up frustration at my inability to sleep ensued in more restlessness and more wide-eyed staring into the inky black. Dull reminders of today's spar with my birdbrain teammate had left more than a few bruises in uncomfortable places, all which throbbed horribly. This feeling twice drove home to my traitorous body it would not find refuge in the unconscious bliss of slumber. It was an unappealing, unsavory notion.

Arms and legs askew across the generous expanse of my bed (a gift from Tomoe I could not refuse) I debated on what to do. Obviously whacking myself in the head with a blunt object was out of the question.

I almost wished I had some sake. Sure the shit tasted like fire but it did the job. Too bad no pub around here would sell me any. Now before you start thinking what the hell kind of man my father was, letting me drink sake, consider this valid counterclaim. When out in the middle of the wilderness with a bawling child whodoes not understand that she needs to _shut up _what's a desperate parent supposed to do when he runs out of sedatives and places to run and all he has is a half empty bottle of sake? Do the math.

Heh, I bet Naruto would love to hear that story. I should tell him a few. Make some of those agonizing pauses during our conversations worth something. Kami knows I can practically feel him begging for them.

Arms crossed behind my head, I smiled, staring out the nearby window. That'll be my present to him when he gets home from his mission. Goodness knows he's been considerate long enough.

Yes, the crush had ebbed finally. To tell you the truth, when sorting these feelings out, I came to realize, yeah, I had some love for the man but it was far from romantic. He was my sponsor turned distant guardian; his approval mattered to me about as much as it mattered to Ichigo. I could tell all of my little queries of, _"Do omou?"_ whenever I made an endeavor touched him. More or less this had transferred to Kakashi since he was around more (and my sensei) although I was very hesitant. Somehow knowing my father was his former student and had turned against him and his teachings made me a bit nervous. It made talking to him really hard for me. That day in the barn was the most we'd ever spoken alone.

My thoughts shifted to Sakura to get away from the unsettling topic. Now her I adored more than she probably knew. With her I could receive sound female advice, comfort and a confidence I couldn't get anywhere else. This, I thought, was what having a mother must be like. Sparring with her was less emotionally intimidating and allowed me to focus on areas that were in sore need of attention. Along with her mednin abilities, she had a reasonable knack for genjutsu, which helped with my Sharingan enormously. It was mutually beneficial: she learned where she needed to improve and I learned how to see through the flaws that gave most amateur genjutsu users away. Offhandedly she hinted that if I wanted to specifically focus on my Sharingan training, I should go to Kakashi.

That's when I learned about his eye.

Still I couldn't bring myself to seek his aide. I felt really bad because it wasn't his fault I was so painfully shy. Feeling guilt for something I hadn't even done to begin with, I wasn't being fair to myself. Sins were more than owned. Besides I didn't want to shift focus from Takashi and Ichigo who needed his attention every bit as much as I did.

Gah. This isn't helping me. If I lie here for one more minute I'm going to lose it.

Kicking up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed. Stripping off my embarrassingly frilly pink nightgown, I threw on a pair of short black Capri pants and a dark gray sports shirt. On my way outside, I pulled on a pair of fingerless leather gloves and bound my hair up tightly. Maybe trading blows with the punching bag in the back would tire me out enough to fall asleep.

Pausing on the back porch to tug a few times on the bottom of a glove (they were a snug fit), I spotted Reynard sitting just near the door, as if he'd been waiting for me. Flexing the joints in my hand, I gazed down at the copper colored _kitsune _impassively in muted affection. He pricked his black tipped ears up, his perpetually bright eyes luminous in the moonlight. Pointedly I closed the door with my heel, not breaking eye contact. _Not on your life, buddy. I'm in no mood._

I could have sworn his lip curled in the barest hint of a snarl.

"Tough luck, kit. You're just going to have to run around outside with the rest of the animals."

Crossing the yard, I approached the single enormous tree bearing the weight of a large punching bag admirably. The thing was already worn and faded from physical abuse and unkind weather. I would have to replace it soon. Tonight though it would bear my insomniac's fury.

Hitting an inanimate object never felt so good.

It was a glorious night with a full moon and the breeze was nice and cool. No wonder my body refused to rest. Nights like these sometimes brought Ichigo over, his excuse-of-the-moment being he was lonely or couldn't sleep or he just wanted to talk. It could be three o'clock in the morning and he'd be over here tapping on my window. Once I grumbled now that we had Takashi, why not bother him instead and he replied, "Because Takashi sleeps with a kunai in his hand."

I didn't bother to ask _why_ Hayabusa would do something like that when he had both parents, a big brother, two little sisters and about five hundred cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces around. You'd think he'd feel a little more secure.

_Well, not so,_ I amended between punches_. He does have to share a room with his fifteen-year-old brother, Shinji. From what I hear he's a bit of a jerk._ I smirked. _Must run in the family._

I switched to kicking after my arms tired. Sweat ran down my face, soaking into my clothes, dampening my hair and making my skin glisten. Needless to say, a cold shower was to be in order.

_Damn._ I stopped to catch my breath with hands on my hips, bending down to avoid a wave of nausea. The bag swung back and forth crazily. This wasn't working out the way I wanted it. The object of the workout was to make myself tired, not make myself sick.Should have had a heavier dinner before I went to bed. "So annoying," I muttered, letting myself kneel and rock back on my rear before gradually straightening myself out flat on the ground. The grass was moist with midnight condensation, cooling and soothing my heated skin. Staring at the starlit sky, I willed my body to cease consciousness now and please be quick about it.

Nothing doing.

Maybe I should use a sleeping jutsu… but how long might that last? I didn't want to miss training tomorrow if it interfered with my biorhythm. It was pointless to consider the option anyway. I didn't know the hand seals for it (something simple, something stupid, a genius I am not). I hissed between my teeth angrily, fisting the grass in my hands. This was so frustrating.

In the way of the fox, Reynard crept up and settled down close beside me, head on paws, sharp nose toward my feet. He switched his furry white tipped tail, flicking it in my face a few times. I made semi-sneezing noises, reaching out to scrub between the animal's ears. "Silly."

He lifted his head, glanced back at me and gave me a sly, dopey smile, as if to say, 'Ain't I a stinker?'

I sat up, hand resting at the junction between his neck and back. The fox rose and placed both dainty paws on my leg, nudging my other hand for more caresses, which I happily supplied. Maybe I didn't have everything in the world, I decided, maybe there was so much more to gain but honestly… the truth was…

"I have everything I need." I told Reynard candidly, giggling girlishly when he licked my cheek with a quick, pink tongue. "And at least I know if all else fails, I'll always have my pain in the ass _kitsune_ to turn to, huh?"

He turned his head to the side and eyed me before cracking that foxish grin again. There were a million ways I could interpret the messages in his expression. Whoever would know the mind of a fox? Still I had the oddest feeling he understood each and every word I was saying. _Impossible,_ I thought scratching him under the chin. _He's an animal and animals well they don't understand human language. Do they?_ On the rare occasion my father would summon snakes and he spoke to them but… I don't ever recall any ever talking back. Yet they had acted as if they understood what he told them…

"Papa?" I asked, backing up further as I watched the anaconda sized purple reptile slither across the dirt. At six years old, I disliked snakes. I wasn't afraid of them, I was just was not very keen on letting them get too close to me. "Why do you talk to the snakes?"

Otosan called the creature away, which promptly vanished with a poof. He lowered his hand. He frowned at my odd question. "I talk to them so they know what I want them to do."

"How can they know?" I persisted. "You just use your voice?"

Otosan sighed and shook his head, inwardly marveling at my ability to push his patience to its limits. "Aa. Why?"

Making a fed-up sound, I rolled my eyes in childish exasperation at the stupidity of adults. "Snakes are deaf, Papa," I said in a very matter-of-fact manner. "How can you tell them to do anything if they can't hear what you're saying?"

My father approached me and bent to my head level, looking me right in the face. "They're special snakes," he told me, using the simplest terms he could. "These snakes can hear."

I was skeptical and my doubtful frown proved this. To my surprise my father smiled suddenly and brushed at my cheek with a finger before straightening. "You'll understand someday."

I made a face at him. He made it back. I giggled and accepted his hand when he indicated we needed to be moving on.

"So what _are_ you?" I addressed the fox rhetorically. "You just going to keep hanging around me or am I going to have to beg you for a decent explanation?" Reynard whuffed in reply. Miffed, I tossed back my head briefly. _Why do I try? _"There's my answer. Argh!" Giving up, I flopped back against the grass, letting an arm fall over my face. Therefore I didn't see the way the fox pricked up his ears and stand to attention otherwise what happened next wouldn't have startled me as much as it did.

Inexplicably, landing right in the middle of the yard after leaping over the fence, four dark figures darted across my property. I shot up, startled. _The hell?_ Royally puzzled, I did nothing at first save watch. They would have been in and out in two seconds if it weren't for the traps. In their haste, they set several off. As a result, it slowed them down enough for me to get a fix on them with my Sharingan. They moved fast but not fast enough for me to miss.

_Five_ chakra signatures, four of which I could not identify. One of them, I discovered, was a baby. It was right after this realized itself to me that I heard the thin sound of an infant's cry. It sounded scared… no, it sounded absolutely terrified.

With a jolt, I recognized the baby's chakra. _The heck is going on? Why do they have Hinata's son?_ I had met every single Hyuuga out of both houses and none of these men were from either of them.It was clear to me now what was going on. I jumped to my feet, scaring away the fox. I ran back to the house to grab my bow before setting after them in hot pursuit, grabbing whatever I could snag along the way. There was no way of knowing what exactly I would be dealing with here so it didn't hurt to be prepared.

I didn't know what it was I could do that would help very much. As long as I knew where these people were going with the baby, I was a part of this.

Climbing atop the roof of the Uchiha estate, I scanned the darkness below, tracking the kidnappers with my eyes before picking up silently after them. Dimly I made out there were also others after the men, most of them Hyuugas and whatever ANBU that could be called in along the way. Lights of the homes that passed beneath my feet winked on as the commotion started to spread through the village. If these people intended on stealing away the tiny Hyuuga quietly, that plan was all shot to hell now. I grinned fiercely.

Sensing by the distance, I was ahead of the ninja trying to catch up with the kidnappers by several minutes. Calculating from about how close they were they would never make it in time before the men would be well on their way out of Konoha.

Shit, you mean it's all up to me now? That's just… well, perfect, honestly.

Get ahead of them. Predict where they'll go and intercept.

Moving around them in a wide berth out of sensing range, I slipped in between the shadows and moved in low. Karma was with me. These ninja were lousy at stealth and sucked at utilizing their surroundings to conceal their presence. Either they were doing this on purpose or they really were so unforgivably half-witted. Especially if they were foolish enough to abduct the Hyuuga heir!

Now that's just plain old stupid.

Reaching the place where I knew they would go I perched in a crouch on top of a telephone pole and waited for them, bow and arrow at the ready. With terminal intensity, I concentrated on their movements below me, zigzagging across roofs and between alleyways. It was like watching a hundred rats scatter in haystack after opening the barn door.

_They're separating._

My eyes narrowed into slits. Oldest trick in the book: the decoy game. Sacrifice the self for the sake of the mission. Obviously not team players. I'm guessing none of these bastards has ever heard of Kage Bunshin no jutsu. But I didn't think many people could use that jutsu or even knew how to do it.

Decisively, I rose up and aimed an arrow at one of the men trying to distract two Hyuugas. Light cast from a street lamp glanced off his forehead protector, a fatal beacon in the dead of the night. It was too far away for me to see what village it was. But I was past the point of caring. They were no friends of the Leaf that was for damn sure.

Aiming carefully and giving no thought to afterward, I let it loose. The bastard never knew what hit him.

Knocking another arrow I crouched again.

Another one… The three ANBU chasing him had lost him and were currently trying to relocate him again. I smirked. That _yaro_ thought he could hide in _there_? I waited for him to emerge from his hiding place before letting the arrow find him. When ANBU finally found the man, he was lying facedown in the dirt, an arrow sticking out of his back.

Two down, two to go. Where were they? Oh yes, I smiled, three Hyuuga Branch members had caught one of the men… good. But nobody had the baby. The baby!

"Fuck!" I gritted my teeth and frantically scanned below. Instead of target practicing, I should have gone after the one with the baby! It was still okay though… where I was positioned was the only way the man could escape supposedly undetected. He wanted out, he needed to go in through here. Surreptitiously I shouldered my arrows and moved to the top of the wall covering over the exit. I needed a sure and clear shot. Killing the baby by accident wasn't a mistake I was prepared to make. It must not happen. It would not happen.

Sweat dripped down the back of my neck. I tried to ignore the unsteady beating of my heart.

There he was. He was running down an alley between a pharmacy and a watch outlet. In another minute he would be within firing range. The circumstances couldn't have been better.

Seconds ticked by with the beat of my pulse, his pulse and the baby's pulse. I readied the shot. The blood in my veins stilled. I felt cold, sure, transient. Focused. Every nerve in my skin burned alive and numb at the same time. The tremor in my calve muscles eased. Any residual uncertainty disappeared utterly.

The kidnapper closed in. The baby's wails grew to a crescendo of hysteria, as if the boy's very soul were being torn from his little body. It was sound enough to make the maternal instincts of any woman scream to life; scream for the head of the heathen would dare cause a child this much horror.

Mine were roaring.

The world lost color. Everything closed to the space between the target and me. The bowstring was drawn taut and stretched, feathers brushing against my cheek.

Vi et armis.

I released the arrow.

* * *

Disclaimer: Lyrics are from "Beauty of the Beast" by Nightwish from the second part "One More Night To Live." I know this is the second time Nightwish has appeared in this fic. I wanted to use songs not normally familiar or common that had some sort of poetic vibe to them that could fit in with Katana's literary influences. Nightwish fits this nicely. "Vi et armis" is a quote from Cicero, which is Latin for "By force of arms."

Do demo ii: It does not matter.  
iie: no.  
Chikusho: Damn it.  
Bakayaro: You fool!  
risu: squirrel  
yaro: bastard  
Do omou: What do you think?

All Japanese translations and the ones before come from my Random House Japanese-English English-Japanese Dictionary. These are the latest up to date translations.


	15. Life and Death

It was a straight and true shot - the cleanest, easiest one I ever had the pleasure of taking. It would have ended everything. Nothing should have stopped it.

When the bastard caught the projectile before it pierced his torso and buried itself in his heart, I was thrown for six. It was an insult to my closely honed marksmanship. This wasn't supposed to happen!

Yet it had and now here I was, standing on top of a wall, the last domino. There would be no picking off this time. My quarry was looking at me. No longer was I the unseen purveyor of deliverance. I was now his adversary.

All at once the certainty of what I was about to do sent calm waves throughout my body. It was as obvious as a sunny day. They would _not_ have that baby. This was a member of Tomoe's family. To steal anything that was important to anyone I called friend was the same as committing the offense against myself.

Casting aside my now useless bow and arrows I leapt down between the exit and the abductor. He halted.

"Last stop." I grinned humorlessly, swiftly pulling out the _kobun_ I always kept under my dress.

To the perversions of his iniquitous mind, the gesture appeared provocative. It spoke about as much when he grinned taking in the fact a young woman stood in his path. Suddenly his yellow orb - he had an eye patch - lit up in nasty recognition. "If it isn't the little ninja whore skank." He saw my eyes widen and snickered, shifting his hysterical bundle to his other arm. "Seems we keep running into each other, hm?"

"Hn," I smirked. "So you did lose that eye. Pity."

"Pity, yes," he chuckled flagitiously. "But oh look, you're alone. Where is daddy now? Not here to save his precious little girl this time, I see."

Somebody was itching to play Underestimate Katana. Light from a nearby street lamp played along the blade, making it gleam dully in the darkness. I began to advance.

The creep responded by shifting the baby around, affixing him to his back. He sniveled at my crimson gaze, the image of him growing all the hazier as the rage bled into me.

The eager yet equally frigid set of his expression told me he was itching for a fight… and retribution.

Ignoring him, I circled around and proceeded to block his escape. His mission was to retrieve the baby. Not letting harm come to it was crucial to its success hence his transfer of the child to his back. This was both a help and a hindrance. Not hurting the child was obvious - whether or not either of us could avoid it remained to be seen. I had no idea how good this man was. All I knew from our last brief yet violent encounter was that he was a missing nin turned low end highwayman. Evidently he was starting to enterprise his services as an exiled Hidden Village of Sand shinobi if his scratched forehead protector was any indication. I wondered to whom he was whoring himself out for this desperate intrigue?

The one eyed man procured a -- ha, ha, a _katana_ -- and held it for use. Well, shit, if he felt needed to use _that_ against my wee knife, he couldn't be too far above my level. My grim smile tightened. It didn't make him any less dangerous. It was a fact he demonstrated clearly when he brought the thing down the moment of its unveiling.

No, this is definitely not my night.

Quickly I defended with the _kobun_. The clanking sound of metal hitting metal resonated off the very edifices around us. Holding it in place, I used my foot to push against the flat of the long blade to knock it aside. It caused the man's arm to upswing, leaving his midsection unprotected for a brief moment. Since I had the angle for it, I rammed my elbow in - _damn he must be wearing an armored vest under that tunic! _- and moved away again swiftly. He followed.

My eyes caught the next motion as I easily dodged his movements. To the casual observer it might have appeared impossible, what I was doing. To me, the man was moving in slow motion. I sneered. His was a speed I could deal with.

He saw me smirking and glowered, disgruntled at my proficiency.

I added insult to injury. "You're more pathetic than I thought."

My purposeful taunt served to piss him off. "Shut up!" To my dismay he knew how to use his anger constructively. Realizing the sword was little more than a useless stick (and it didn't seem to me he had a whole lot of experience wielding it), he sheathed it and engaged me full on. Trading direct blows jostled the infant who was at this point nearly out of his delicate little mind. His screams were hoarse and raw at the edges. How long would it be before he lost his battle with fear? How long could I last for that matter?

And where the fuck was ANBU?

I had only a split second to sense the chakra he concentrated into his fist before the resounding blow knocked me clear against the side of a building. The needle prickles in my chest informed me some damage had been done. Stunned, I fell, helplessly watching the lowlife seize the opportunity to make another mad dash for the exit.

Not for all the pitchforks in Hell's broom closet.

I forced my arm to move until my hand was able to reach the thigh holster on my right leg. Sore tendons burned in protest as I wrapped bruised fingers around a small shuriken. With all of my might I whipped it in his direction, wire spiraling after it. Despite the clumsy throw, it successfully wound itself around his legs.

Grasping, I yanked on the wire, giving it one, hard jerk.

"Ugh!" He lunged forward, causing the baby to slip down his back slowly until the small boy was rolling off in a lazy turn toward the ground.

_Move! Move!_ I screamed inwardly, somehow able to force my body to rise. Bones flexed, creaked, stung in a harsh reminder. You're not going to last. My teeth clenched behind thin lips until my jaw ached_. "Chikusho!"_ I hissed.

When I reached the infant, I snatched up the small creature and rolled along the ground. Every bump and turn felt like torture. The kidnapper rolled too and scissored his legs apart to free himself from the entrapment. Seeing what I was doing, he grabbed ineffectually at the small blanket covering the child. One fingertip from his middle digit snared an edge and pulled the rest of the blanket out. Feeling the tug, I instinctively clutched my precious burden and kicked away, scraping against the dirt for purchase.

"Watch your step!" I called to him mockingly.

"You bitch!" he snarled, the single yellow mad eye glowing with fervor.

One thing to be said about Otosan and I: we both just _loved_ pissing people off.I gave a wan smile and crab walked awkwardly, painfully (because of the baby) until my shoulder and hand encountered the street pole behind me. I ignored the hot trickle of blood running from a small cut on my cheek. Victory wasn't mine yet. But… the stolen child was out of his hands.

Now what? With my arms akimbo with Hyuuga Jr. there was no way to adequately defend against the former Sand nin's attacks. Unless... _No, no, bad idea, dobe, remember what happened last time? _

_I know. Still and all I've got the chakra for it... barely. I can do this. I_ will _do this._

"Sorry sweetie." I murmured to the bawling package of joylessness. "Katana-san needs both of her arms." Quickly shoving the baby on my own back this time (what the hell does this kid eat?), I used a small amount of chakra as an adhesive. Pushing to my feet using the pole for support, ignoring the excruciating pain knifing through me, I smiled again. This wasn't one of my coolly confident smiles. This one was cruelly assured. Speedily I made the first seal, thumb to thumb and index finger to index finger.

The Sand nin halted his initial charge, suspicious of my swift actions. _Too late to grow a brain, pal._

I made the second seal, turning the triangle of my fingers upside down.

He took a step back. One step back too late. Should have run.

I made the third and final seal, placing my palms together and then using my fingers to push them apart at heart level. A steady flutter of brilliance, effervescing in ways that was like lightening and yet not. This was _my_ technique. The original jutsu was meant for a swift, painless kill from only a few feet away. I discovered I could modify it using the most lethal jutsu I knew. In only two ways was it deadlier: I didn't need the running start… and I didn't need to move.

_C'mon, stupid body, push it out!_ I forced the remainder of my chakra to the limit. This was it.

"_Rai_ _Toku_: _Ensho no jutsu!"_

Release.

The technique nearly sucked me dry - I gasped the last two words - but it did the job. One moment the Sand nin was standing there, warily eyeing me. At the last possible second the baka attempted to guard. Abruptly his body slammed into the building behind him, his whole form enveloped in white light. Cracks radiated from the impact, surrounding his broken body like threads on a cobweb. He was gone before gravity claimed him. Bits and pieces of the building showered after him.

Vi victa vis.

The aftermath slammed into me with commensurate force. Excessive chakra use was murder on the human body.

Stupid, stupid, I should have listened.

My knees shook, gave out and buckled. Nausea touched my sight with gray edges, a million sparks of light. I can't see… I can't see… In, out, on, off, blackness surrounding, swirling, engulfing, and then… and then…

…Light. Bright, dark, blurred images out of, in focus. Colors in the wrong places, inverted, diagonal, horizontal, vertical. Next to, right beside. Sounds, louder, not loud. Closer, further, fading away. I'm coming away. I'm going away. I'm… I'm…

My brain short-circuited.

Sapped of strength, of breath, inundated by all of the sensations, I slumped forward slowly. I remembered my burden at the last moment. I caught him as he slipped down my back. Shaking uncontrollably, I fit both arms around the baby boy gently, holding him close. He had stopped crying. _Silence, such sweet music. _I managed a weak smile even as consciousness slipped away.

* * *

When Hyuuga Hanabi discovered her nephew had been kidnapped, her first natural reaction was to deal out some heavy-duty punishment. Unlike her level- headed older sister, Hanabi was red hot and acted swiftly. The second word got out she picked up arms and headed out into the night. Her senses swept the dimly lit streets, scanning, tracking; the predator on the hunt. 

At some point the lowbrows dispersed, making it difficult to follow them. These men, she determined, weren't selected based on jutsu talent or skill… the one that had been captured went down without much of a struggle. Speed and the ability to hide were what the task seemed to call for and these evil men did it well. It dismayed her the men had at least a good ten minutes head start and the one with the baby would be well on his way out of Konoha by the time she would reach the exit. She clenched her teeth together. He would be already gone.

So that was it. They had the Byakugan. The Hyuuga was done for.

The brief terror she felt at the implication closed around her lungs. She was not as good as controlling her emotions as her cousin but she managed to hold the worst of the panic at bay. No. Now was not the time for her to lose it. _Get to the exit,_ she chanted, _continue the pursuit, get to the exit, continue the pursuit._

Leaping off a roof, she landed in the middle of a side street and moved around the corner toward the exit, kunai at the ready. There she halted in her tracks, frozen by the scene that lay before her eyes.

The man identified as the one in possession of the infant lay in a crumpled heap at the foot of a building. Blood coated a cracked skull and the odd angle in which he lay suggested a destroyed spinal column. Hanabi approached the corpse warily. Even though her senses and her abilities told her he had checked out of this life for good, she was too intelligent and too well trained not to suspect a trap.

Had about enough of those for one lifetime.

With one foot she turned the body over. Ugh, she couldn't help a mild wince, wish I hadn't done that. No tricks or sleight of hand at play here. This man was truly dead.

And the baby was nowhere to be found.

Hanabi wracked her brain, going over the previous, precious few minutes past. Was something missed? Had there been an extra man no one had known about? Perhaps having lain in wait this entire time at the exit? It would make sense. But, she stretched out her feelings and subtlety shook her head. No, that wasn't it… unless…wait.

She was picking up another chakra… two of them, one noticeably weaker and fading. Odd.

Where…? Hanabi glanced around, straining her silver eyes in the extremely dim light of the single street lamp. Almost immediately her gaze fell upon something lying under the light.

Was that a person?

The young woman hurried over, quickly at first and then approaching more cautiously. As she did, several ANBU appeared in the area of the dead man and examined the corpse. They gave it a more thorough inspection than she had, turning the body this way and that, hunting through his pockets, his pants, his shirt. Anything that would tell them what they needed to know. Hanabi ignored them, favoring the new scene before her instead.

A small girl with a slight build and a thin wiry frame lay curled on the ground, her knees drawn halfway up, clutching a small, turquoise and green burden to her tiny chest. Her arms were folded around it protectively, viciously even though the little thing was unconscious. She wore makeshift workout clothes and her long, lustrous hair was tied back in a mostly undone yank between her thin shoulder blades. Some of the ebony waterfall had spilled over her face, obscuring her identity. But Hanabi knew who she was. She knelt and gently brushed aside the strands to reveal her, tucking them fondly behind her ear. A tiny smile crept across her lips at the confirmation. Pale delicate features, soft dark lashes, sharply defined aristocratic chin. The classic beauty only someone of _his_ blood could possess. Uchiha Katana.

I should have known that she was the sniper. Not even among the Jounin is anyone talented enough in archery to shoot so accurately in the dark.

For some reason, that thought gave her a shiver of misgiving. She was too young to remember _him_ but not too young to see the parallels for what they were.

The bundle moved, startling the woman. Reaching out, Hanabi pulled it away and cradled it in her arms. Tiny waving hands and baby noises assured her that her sister's son was alive, safe and one hundred percent intact. His happy gurgling noises as he recognized a familiar face and scent all at once eased her. For a moment she held the child tightly, thanking God above for their good fortune.

Close… too damn close.

Gradually the rest of the pursuers began to arrive. Most of them were from the Branch House and some the Main House. Hinata had run into the night in nothing more than a lilac robe and her normally coifed hair streamed behind her in a cascade of violet. She pushed aside several Hyuuga men as she spotted her younger sister kneeling on the ground. Normally soft-spoken, the Head of the clan was flustered, eyes shiny with tears and all sense of reservation gone. In her place was a mother searching for her lost child and nor hell or high water would stand in her way. It was easy to forget she possessed of such a spine however there were times the steel inside surfaced to show the world why it was she bore the title of Head.

The steel was radiating through her teary eyes tonight.

"Sister!" the older woman cried, approaching the younger woman who rose to greet her. When she saw the bright eyes of her baby, she let the tears run as she held her arms out. Hanabi gladly surrendered the child, smiling. She watched her sister kiss and nuzzle the infant, watching with a perverse amusement as the more stoic Hyuuga men averted their gazes.

Hanabi almost forgot about the Uchiha child lying at their feet until Tomoe, arriving half dressed in a sports bra and flannel pajama pants, bolted over. After discovering with one glance that the baby was all right, she turned her attention immediately, almost simultaneously, to Katana. She was shocked to see her friend there but knew enough to save such questions for later. Anxiously she glanced at Hanabi who knelt beside her.

"Is she going to be okay?" she asked because she could not help it.

After examining the girl with her Byakugan, Hanabi suddenly sucked in air, the blood in her veins becoming ice water. "If we don't get her to the hospital _right now_ she's going to be dead before morning."

Tomoe's mouth fell open, startled at the news. Her face grew hard and her silver eyes cold and focused. Her automatic manner of coping with stress had kicked in, offering a single hard nod. "I'll meet you there."

Hanabi gave a nod, giving silent permission even though none had been asked. She slipped her arms beneath the small girl carefully, mindful of the damage to her ribcage. Taking off immediately, the young kunoichi raced off toward Konoha's finest.

Tomoe gave Hinata a token glance before rushing off, ignoring the calls of the elder Hyuuga chiding her to remain. It would take their resplendent minds a few hours to wrap around it, to admit it deep down in their pride-dominated hearts.

They owed their good fortune to the serendipitous efforts of a Uchiha. And in the tradition of the Branch House, as chartered by a certain _someone_ currently away on his mission, Tomoe was going to make sure none of them ever forgot it.

* * *

Takashi shot up in bed and gasped. The small kunai he always slept with he held up at the ready with both hands. He could have sworn he had heard something. Freezing in place, he glanced across the room at the bed containing the lump that was Shinji. Reaching down to retrieve a slipper from the floor, he tossed it across the room. 

Thump. It struck his older brother on the ass. There was no response.

"Niisan?" he hissed. Still nothing. "Niisan!" he tried again more loudly, more insistently.

"Um…" the older boy, or rather the lump, grumbled. "Shu' up…"

There it was again. It sounded like… banging.

_That's it._ Takashi launched the kunai across the room. Thnk! The blade imbedded itself in the wood above his brother's head. Shinji shot up, startled, before turning an acid glare his little brother's way. "What, what?" he growled groggily.

"I heard something."

Shinji rubbed at his eyes, fighting back a yawn. "You were dreaming."

"No, I wasn't. Just listen."

Two minutes elapsed.

"Takashi…" he began in a growl.

"Listen!"

The banging occurred again… this time at their shuttered window.

Instantly Shinji became wide-awake and threw back the coverlet, at the same time twisting the kunai out of the wall. He reached under his pillow and tossed another kunai to his brother whose feet had already landed on the hardwood floor. With one silent open palm gesture, he told the overeager Takashi to stay back. Much as he loved tormenting him, he'd be the first in line to protect the twerp. And it was because _he_ felt that way, not because his parents kept chiding him to. Strangely though, Takashi seemed to have a hard time grasping this concept.

Which is why in addition to the gesture, he snatched a glare at him, mouthing a hard: "NO."

Takashi narrowed his eyes and reluctantly stayed back. Niisan wanted to be a glory hound _again_. Sometimes he didn't know if he hated him a lot or only a lot.

Before either brother could make another motion toward the window, it opened.

Immediately falling into defensive postures, the boys moved to distance by reflex and prepared to sell their lives dearly.

Hyuuga Tomoe leaned in and peered around. Catching sight of Takashi crouched and ready for action, she exhaled. "Oh good, you're awake. I was beginning to wonder if your whole clan slept with cotton swabs in their ears."

Takashi relaxed, exchanging puzzled looks with his brother. "Tomoe, what the hell do you think you're doing? You scared the shit out of us!"

Shinji hit the light. They instinctively squinted until their eyes got used to it.

"_Sorry_," she said hurriedly, not sounding it at all. Her expression turned serious. "You live the closest and you're her teammate so I'd thought I'd tell you first. Something happened tonight and Katana's in the hospital."

The information hit him senseless. "What?" Takashi blinked, lowering his weapon, pocketing it. "How… what are you… in the hospital…"

The girl shook her head, loose tresses swaying around her shoulders. "I don't know the details but… but it looks really bad." Then just like that she was racing off into the night again.

After she was gone, Shinji casually spun the kunai around his finger once and jabbed an index finger at the other boy. "When you get back I'm killing you." Then hitting the lights, he slipped back under the covers, tossed the knife on the bedside table and pulled the pillow over his head. Hayabusa Shinji: Chuunin and Grim Reaper extraordinaire.

Takashi smirked as he quickly changed and armed himself. Lazy bum that couldn't carry out a threat to save his ass was more like it. _And I thought_ I _was the birth defect in this family_.

On his way to the hospital, Takashi detoured at the Haruno home. He knocked until the lights came on, cringing inwardly when Sakura answered the door, wearing a pink evening kimono.

Takashi was a promising Genin and a seriously talented ninja but he was still a teenage boy. In his hormone-drenched mind (that he carefully masked under all that stoicism) she was absolutely mouthwatering. The robe didn't leave much to the imagination either. He couldn't stop himself from staring for those few precious milliseconds. Damn…

"Takashi?" she raked a hand through her bed mussed hair, blinking sleepily. "What on earth are you doing here?"

He barely was able to speak around his heaving, each word come between a gasp. "Is… Ichigo… here?"

A spiky yellow head peeked around the woman, puzzled and curious. "Hey Mom, what's going on? Oh," he halted, seeing the amber-eyed boy, green eyes slitting. "What do _you_ want?" He barely flinched when his mother smacked the back of his head.

Takashi controlled his temper admirably. "Katana is in the hospital," he blurted.

Sakura's mouth dropped open. Her pager went off a second later and she ran to throw some clothes on. She swore under her breath as she went, contradicting her own code on bad language. There was no doubt in her mind as to what the page was about.

For a moment, there was a pure naked vulnerable terror that appeared in the normally confident Ichigo. "Katana is…" he stumbled over the news until sense returned with purpose. Then he was moving, bolting back into his home, yanking on his usual outfit and grabbing his weapons pouch as an afterthought before exploding out of the door into the night.

As they ran side by side, Ichigo yelled, "What happened?"

"I don't know," Takashi replied. "Tomoe just showed up at my house in her nightclothes and told me Katana was in the hospital."

"_Tomoe_?" The bewilderment was obvious.

"_Hai_, I thought it was weird too." They did not speak again until they reached a cross street. Takashi beckoned they make pause. "You go on ahead."

Eyebrow flick. "What for?"

"I'm going to get our sensei."

Of course, it only made sense. Ichigo nodded and raced off, faster than Takashi had ever seen him move. As he turned toward Kakashi, he found himself feeling sorry for the idiot. He couldn't imagine what must have been going through the other boy's mind. He didn't want to.

He was afraid it was the same thing going through his.

* * *

She bit her tongue, concentrating, and raised both arms above her head. Turning in a slow, measured series along the stone wall, Katana executed the cartwheels flawlessly. Finishing at where the ivy festooned formation ended, she gave an inner squeal of glee. The action convinced her to give it another go, easily turning and stretching, rejoicing in the fluidity of her movements. She felt poised and in control. Free.

Below the girl people walked by, some giving her token smiles in passing. At one point Katana flopped forward on her stomach like a cat, arms and legs dangling on either side of the stone edifice. Her pigtails tickled her cheeks.

She waved at some children running by, smiling widely when one or two paused to respond in kind. Their playful shrieks of laughter drifted back to her. When they were gone, the young girl sighed. Pursing her lips she turned her head. To the left lay the sprawl of town life, busy, full of people, animals and homes. On the right, the direction she was facing lay the horizon, wide, endless, full of possibilities and unseen dangers.

Eventually Katana sat up, legs on the side to the horizon with her back to the town. Possibilities she had seen and dangers she had met. Maybe there was something to be found over that mountain there…

The child's eyes dropped to her lap and narrowed for a moment before she lifted them again. A slight chill had risen in the bite of the autumn air and she shivered, bringing her small arms up, hunching her slight shoulders together.

The sun was setting. Orange-red and purple-pink streaks of violent color desperately holding back the gray and black that would soon consume the land. It was beautiful, - it never failed to spell bound her with its relentless vibrancy. The light would have to run again. Run into the dark to get away from the dark. Hide in the light to avoid going toward the light.

At five, Katana was used to it.

When he had settled beside her to join in the dusk vigil the girl would not know. He was here. As he wasn't. But, still, he was here. That was all that mattered.

"You were gone all day again," she murmured, her words softly accusing.

"…Aa."

"Did you make a lot of money?" Katana looked at him imploringly. She never knew what it was her father did during those interludes when he would leave her. It never occurred for her to ask and he never deigned to speak of his exploits.

"I did."

She waited, still watching him wantonly. Sasuke was always so quiet, preferring silence to speech and distance to affinity. His taciturn manner often puzzled her, for she was only a child and did not see the things he saw out of those obsidian depths. And he would never let her.

She leaned her head against his arm and let it rest there.

Sasuke looked at her, gradually, gazing into his daughter's moon shaped face. For the attention, she persevered against his vacuity. Wordlessly he hooked her under the arms, set the small one on his lap and rotated her slightly for a comfortable sit in one motion. As he fit his own arms around the waif, she closed her eyes contentedly and rested against his chest.

His affection was strained, hesitant and never lasted. He did not know how_ to give it, did not _want_ to give it. Never mind that he was young, still barely a boy himself, slogging through a life he couldn't be sure of anymore. He couldn't plan, couldn't think, couldn't _act_ because none of them, NONE of them could include a little girl. A little girl who could watch him kill men and still keep holding the hand that had taken those men's lives. _

His eyes slid shut and he let his chin rest upon the girl's parted black hair, his breath stirring the loose strands. If Itachi knew about you… _he could not stop the thought. _If Orochimaru knew about you …_ He bit his lips together hard, drawing some blood. _

Too late… five years too late. His weakness had caused this liability and now…

No. She is not a liability. Don't you dare fucking call her that, teme.

A bitter smile stretched across his face. Even after all this time, he could still hear his rival's voice in his thoughts. You're one to talk about being betrayed, Uchiha. That's all your life is, one betrayal after another. Would you abandon Katana so quickly if Itachi showed up right now?

Though he had asked himself this question ceaselessly since his daughter had come into his life, Sasuke desperately did not know the answer. He didn't want to know, didn't want to for fear of it being true. His single-minded drive interrupted by this tiny female she-thing infuriated him. He gritted in the exasperation always conjured during these mental bouts of frustration.

"Ne, that's an easy one to figure out. 'My only love sprung from my only hate…' Sasuke-kun, that's Shakespeare. Don't you know?"

God, that he still kept thinking about them. Nine years in the past and they haunted him like a pursuer hiding his impetus in the footsteps of his quarry.

Interrupting his thoughts, Katana lifted her head then, opening her eyes. "I learned how to do cartwheels today," she piped.

"Really." It was an automatic response.

"Uh-huh!" she beamed at him. "Are we going to sleep in the town tonight?"

"Aa."

Pause. Glancing down, he found her staring at him again. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He gazed out again.

"Oh. Okay." Another pause. "Papa?"

Patience was a virtue. "Yes, Katana."

"I love you."

Sasuke tensed his jaw and fought the painful swell in his throat. That she could pull that damnable emotion from his inner prison was devastating. To say those words aloud, to hear them, to know they were true. If she really knew what he was, she would not say them. One dreadful day his own child was going to hate him. It was a day, he knew, he would not survive.

Abruptly the girl sat up and pulled away. When he opened his eyes to see what she was doing, she was hopping around him and hugging him around the neck from behind. She wanted a ride. Obliging he hefted her weight up securely before sliding to the ground. He felt her hug him and press her head into the back of his neck.

Then she covered his eyes with her hands.

So annoying._ He paused in his stride. "Katana, it's late. No more games." _

Giggle. "C'mon, guess who."

"Katana…"

Hands away and back around his neck. "Yep!" She was silent for a few minutes on the way through town. "Ano sa, can I have a lollipop?"

"No. It'll ruin your dinner."

She made that insulted noise and pouted. "But…"

"I said no," he said it sharper than he intended to. "Don't make me say it again."

"You're mean, Papa. You never let me have fun."

Sasuke scowled. "I let you run around the town all day doing whatever you wanted. You had fun. You should be tired now." No never mind the entire time he'd been away a part of him had been a nervous wreck.

"But I'm noooot," she whimpered. "I want to do more! And you said you'd play with me when you got back!"

Completely slammed, Sasuke stopped again, staring straight ahead. His gaze was unreadable. He was hearing another voice asking a similar question, he was hearing another answering, "I'm sorry, Sasuke, not today…"

Putting the semblance of a smile on, he knelt, letting the small girl slide down. Curious as to what her father was up to, Katana watched him move ahead of her and then look back in mild challenge. There was a peculiar mischief in his eyes. She blinked. He smirked and started to run.

She lit up realizing and took off after him. "Hey! That's not fair, you got a head start!"

* * *

Translations:  
_Rai Toku: Ensho no jutsu - Lightening Shield: Intense heat technique  
niisan - older brother  
_Other translations:  
_Vi victa vis - Force overcome by force_


	16. Destinations and Heroes

The gray dawn hung over the valley like an oppressive cloud. Condensation variegated the leaves with pinhead sized drops of water and dampened the skins of warm-blooded creatures. The thick, heavy, moist air promised rain. Visibility dropped toward midmorning and the air was still, stagnant with the soggy smell of wet earth.

It was as if the very life had been sucked from this region Sasuke mused, leading the small troupe through the narrow mountain pass. It usually looked this way no matter where he happened to travel in the valley. Rain and fog went with this nameless tiny country like sunshine and grass went with Konoha. Since he'd spent a tidy few months here, he'd grown accustomed to the moist air and the soft sounds of mud squishing in his footsteps. Enough to adjust his manner of walking so no one realized the mire they were wading through until it was too late.

This was the last obstacle before they would reach the clan's secret itinerary. He couldn't help smirking when he heard distinctive wet sucking sounds and muffled curses. Probably should have told them about that particular detail. _This_ was so much more fun, though. Katana's always telling me to have a little fun. _This isn't what she was talking about and you know it. _Good thing he was wearing a mask so no one could see his derision when a certain blonde began making noises.

"Ugh!" Naruto complained loudly, which completely disregarded the order of silence Neji had issued not five minutes ago. "This is so _not_ cool! Why are we wading through this shit?"

"There's no other way through, Naruto," Ino replied peevishly. She was the least one happy with their predicament. Bad enough her hair was on the frizz but that _he_ had to be bitching too put a top on it. For the past hour her scowl was moving up to a full-fledged rage attack and Naruto was coming dangerously close to being a special recipient.

He wasn't having it. "Bullshit, there's _always_ another way through!"

Turning around, Tenten heard the last bit and put a finger to her lips, frowning indignantly. Truth told she was a little tired of his seemingly endless frustration with this mission. Force of will only worked with things that could be controlled, not with _weather_. But damn it if he wouldn't try, she mused.

Lee did one better. He crept up behind Naruto and clapped one semi-bandaged hand over the irritable fox man's big mouth. Close to the larger man's ear, he hissed. "Be quiet. For all our sakes."

Tenten mouthed, "_Thank you_," and trudged to catch up, passing Sasuke as she did. Her messy hair bun hung in a damp brown fringe around her head and her skin was smudged with dead gnats and dirt. But despite the apparent discomfort, her eyes were alive and cheerful. She caught Sasuke's gaze and flashed him a quick friendly smile. He smiled back, even though she couldn't see. Hard travel definitely agreed with this kunoichi.

The small group moved through the area of wetland at a slow, gradual pace. Reaching a break in the stretch of muck, Neji and Sasuke climbed on top of a small foothill covered with dead grass. Raising his hand, too out of breath to speak, Neji signaled for them to rest. Mutely they obeyed, scouting out the region for places to sit and recuperate.

"It's no wonder no one comes through here." The Hyuuga managed to sit down gracefully, his elbows atop his knees and dangling in between his outstretched legs. He was as dirty and sweat-streaked as the others if a bit more exhausted on account of his Byakugan. He went on as Sasuke assumed a similar position beside him. "With such difficult terrain, I understand why you didn't mention it unless you felt we had no choice. Any enemies would be hesitant to follow us." He glanced at his still yet unknown former comrade. "How much further does it go on?"

Sasuke gestured. "It depends. We should be intercepted by the clan watchmen soon." His voice went a pitch deeper, contemptuous. "Unless something else went wrong while I've been away."

He fisted at the dead grass, tearing up a few fibers. He was aware Neji was sensing his distress; he didn't like showing his frustration at a time like this. In front of the Hyuuga it was okay, he supposed. A fellow reticent who appreciated leaving the unsaid unsaid, the squad leader wouldn't bring attention to it unless it interfered with the mission.

It didn't matter. By the time he handed them off to the current clan head, he wouldn't need to have anymore to do with them directly. In truth, his frustration had less to do with the fate of the clan than it had to do with the company he was in.

"Che." _I need a drink. _Right, _that_ solution always went over well! The last time he'd had a drink, he'd woken up next to a hooker, with no memory of the previous night's events and a dismayingly light pocket. _Let's face it Uchiha Sasuke has never been very good at making responsible decisions. _Take this shining endeavor for example.

The last thing he expected was for Hyuuga Neji to grip his shoulder and give it a reassuring squeeze. It was over in less than half a second but for some reason the friendly gesture felt brand new to the Uchiha. He lingered on it for a moment even after the other man had gotten up and moved away.

"Don't worry about it." He looked up when Neji spoke. "You do what you can do even if you can't do everything."

Sasuke felt familiarity in the words and it sparked within him a vague sense of nostalgia. " 'I cannot do everything, but I can still do something; and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do,' " he quoted.

The Hyuuga's eyebrows rose slightly. Well. Those were probably the most words he'd ever heard this guy say. "Hale?"

"Aa."

"Hn." Neji smirked, his mouth curling into something close to a real smile and motioned to the others that they needed to be moving on. Sasuke caught the man glance back at him again and shake his head once, almost as if he couldn't believe that of all the people to run into in the world, he found the _one_ person who read the same books he did.

Irony seemed to enjoy playing with them, the Sharingan bearer thought. It could only be the kind sort for he was quite certain that it could not get any crueler than this!

"_Oi_ there!"

The sudden shout pierced through the obscurity. It sounded neutrally friendly, although not quite wholly welcome. Sasuke and Neji simultaneously held up their hands for the rest to remain where they were.

"Who's there?" Naruto called back, his own voice tempered.

"The guardians of this circuit," it replied, still disembodied. The mist was too thick to make out which direction it was coming from. "You are trespassing onto the valley clan's territory. Leave immediately and no harm will come to you."

Sasuke took his cue. "It's the messenger you sent for reinforcements," he called back. "I've returned."

The person, who sounded like a man, sounded haughty. "We'll be the judges of that. Finish this statement…"

_They've always dealt in long passwords,_ Sasuke thought rolling his eyes_. Ah well, this should be easy enough. Only those on the inside know the answers._

" "I expect to pass through this world but once,' " the voice began. " 'Any good thing, therefore that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now…'"

" '…Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.' " The former Avenger could practically feel Naruto's impatience burning his skin. "You guys really need to get out more," he added, deadpan. Ino and Tenten snickered.

"Such beautiful words!" Lee enthused passionately. He plucked a small notepad from somewhere and scribbled between its tiny pages. The look Naruto gave him was priceless.

He still_ does that?_

The mist suddenly dissipated. Everything instantly became brighter and the light from above poured down freely.

"A mist jutsu!" Neji murmured aloud, more than taken aback.

A figure stepped into the clearing. He was less than a foot away from Ino who noticeably gasped and retreated backward, hand over her mouth. She panned around and her shock grew. There was more than one of him.

Ten, fifteen, twenty ninja now surrounded them completely in a circular fashion. Most were men but there were at least nine women among their ranks. All were dressed in varying shades of brown and green, very similar to the outfit their guide was wearing. Naruto noticed with some mild discomfit two figures making their way toward Wolf. They wore masks also, one of a bird and the other of a dog. The dog was a head shorter and stayed one step behind the other wearing the bird mask. The bird exuded authority evident by the way the sea of ninja parted to let him through.

Stopping before his wolf masked counterpart, he lifted his chin. "So you are back," he muttered lightly after a pregnant pause. "I was starting to think you were going to bug out on us."

The wolf didn't like that. He replied by crossing his arms over his chest and saying nothing.

The bird's head dipped forward and his shoulders shook. It took a moment for Naruto to realize the man was laughing. He clapped the guide on the arm in good-natured affection before surveying the rest of his company. Mock discreetly he leaned in next to wolf's ear and said _sotto_ _voce_, "Geez, was this all you could get?"

"It wasn't like I had a choice," the other hissed back. "Be grateful they let me take any of them."

"True." The bird was amiable enough to admit it and addressed the group. "Which of you is in charge?"

Neji stepped forward. "I am."

"Excellent." The man removed his mask. "My name is Heishi Akira, the current clan head. On behalf of the entire valley: Welcome to our mud hole." Akira was a bright-eyed man in his early twenties, much younger than what might have been expected for a clan leader. He had pleasant brown eyes and somewhat longish spiky brown hair. Beside him the smaller man removed the dog mask, revealing a young man in his late teens with dark purple hair and brown eyes. Neji bowed slightly in greeting to both of them. They bowed back.

The teenager peevishly elbowed the older man in the gut and cleared his throat pointedly. Chuckling, Akira rested a hand on the youth's shoulder. "This is my little brother, Yuki. Even though he's just a kid, he's also my second. He's used to being deferred to when I'm not around so don't look down on him."

Naruto wouldn't. He could see it in the kid's eyes: he was fighter and an experienced veteran. He recognized with a small grin the obvious glint of a mischief-maker in his quirked expression. Apparently Yuki saw this in Naruto too for he flashed him a quick, fierce grin.

Naruto returned it.

Akira made some sort of signal and the rest of the ninja vanished. "I'd love to give you Konoha ninja a proper welcome but unfortunately time is not our ally. Best we not linger out here any longer than necessary. As of late we've had some unfortunate… incidents." His voice was heavy with regret and implied a kind of hushed horror that sent chills up Naruto's spine. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Tenten and Ino exchange worried looks. Lee looked disturbed.

Neji nodded assent. "Understood." And followed Akira, after jerking his chin over his shoulder at the rest of his squad. He was uncertain of what exactly he was leading his comrades into. His senses were strained to the limit. The last thing he needed was to lose anyone. Yes, he was being unfair to himself in silently taking everyone's safety onto his sole shoulders, but it was the only way Neji could convince himself he was doing everything humanly possible. If this were just some ordinary mission he wouldn't be pushing himself this hard. But it wasn't.

He stole a glance at Naruto who characteristically couldn't take his eyes off of his surroundings, taking everything in with his rapid sky colored orbs.

It hadn't been announced and nothing had been leaked to the public yet. No one had told him anything. But Neji knew. He knew it like he had used his Byakugan and lifted the information right out of the blonde's brain, if such a thing were possible. This was Naruto's last mission as a Jounin. When they returned to Konoha, things would be different.

Personally Neji never believed he would live to see the day Naruto would finally achieve his goal. It was fey, a mere daydream, something that he was sure would happen that he would never see. Now that he _would_ see it, Neji swore he was going to make _sure_ it was going to happen. Even if this mission was a failure. Even if they lost so badly it left open scars that would take years to heal. Even if they all came home never wanting to look in another mirror again. Living through _this_ mission was crucial, of key importance.

Unbeknownst to him everyone else on his squad was thinking the exact same thing although no one was thinking about it more than Naruto himself. His recent petulance was not coming from a lack of maturity or even from a lack of impatience. Anxiety, some fear but most of all, anticipation. Knowing his life was going to change overnight any day now was something the Kyuubi vessel had been waiting for.

But there's something I've got to do first… and I'm more afraid of it than I am of dying on this mission, of not achieving my dream. It might even mean the difference of whether or not I'll lose my son… whichever way it goes.

Behind their retreating silhouettes, the mist enveloped them, causing them to vanish into the obscurity once again.

* * *

Outside of an operating room, in a dimly lit hospital corridor, a lone woman stood in the shadows. Her figure leaned against the tile wall, exhausted and spent. One arm gradually roped around her waist, cradling and holding herself together while the other hand rested on a cheek. Her pale pink hair hung around her forehead, lightly tickling her cheeks. Her eyes were shuttered. She felt the tremor in both kneecaps and knew she would not last much longer awake. Tonight had pushed her to the limit, testing her emotionally and physically. It wasn't unusual for her to be feeling this way… at times it was much worse. Sakura was used to seeing patients on the brink, close to death's door and had watched them walk through it. 

Then tonight ripped a new perspective into that every day horror, ripping everything inside out and turning the world upside down.

The girl shouldn't have survived. By the time Hanabi had come crashing into the emergency room, Katana had already arrested and she had all but stopped breathing. For those terrifying two minutes she had been clinically dead, dulled eyes open and staring as Sakura desperately worked to bring her back. Sweat dripped down her face and her jade eyes filled with unshed tears. While she fought with the other side to keep the girl's soul on earth, she hadn't been able to keep her eyes from the child's face.

It was almost painful that she resembled her father so closely. To see this face purged of life, so young, drove out the fierce protectiveness in Sakura, the same that had driven her to throw herself in Gaara's path so many years ago.

I lost you Sasuke… I couldn't stop you from leaving… I won't lose her too…I won't let her go where Ichigo can't follow!

For a moment it seemed like fate was cruel enough to wrench another precious person from her. For a brief insane moment in her head she was seeing Naruto's face when she told him that his only link to his best friend had died. Died on her table. Died because she couldn't save her… because, still, she wasn't good enough…

Katana's eyes widened then. It could have been a momentary spasm from a dead body but Sakura knew better. They had squeezed shut once, twice before the girl's lungs jerked in a deep breath of air. It happened the exact moment that Sakura felt a sudden spark. She felt the warmly wonderful sensation of a heart beating. This too, was a part of her every day, but again, it took on a greater significance now. She remembered taking her hands away and moving to allow the other med nins to sweep her away again into the ICU. They later moved her into a normal hospital room when they were sure she was stable. A dim part of her recalled looking up and seeing someone hovering on the threshold, half in and half out of the room. A white-eyed young woman wearing nightclothes, her tear streaked face mirroring the older woman's. When they were sure of each other's presence, the girl fled in the direction the nurses had taken her friend.

That had been a few hours ago. So why was she still standing here in an empty corridor after the hospital had closed so many hours ago? There was no more to be done except go home and get some well needed rest.

A sigh escaped her lips and suddenly her legs could hold her steady no longer. Back softly sliding against the wall, Sakura sank to the floor. Her legs drew up and she draped both arms over her kneecaps. Eventually her forehead came to rest on her crossed forearms.

"Mom?"

That tentative voice brought her eyes open. Sakura lifted her head. She smiled when she saw her son standing before her. _Another one that looks like his father. _Heh, she really did need to sleep… she hadn't even sensed him until he was right there before her. Presently he watched her with serious green eyes, dulled by the darkness around them. "Hi baby," she murmured, resting her cheek down again on her arm, gazing up at him. "What are you still doing here?"

"I should ask you that question. You didn't come home so I snuck…"

The correction came by reflex. "Sneaked."

Eye roll. "…_Sneaked_ in here. Nobody saw me, heh, I'm gettin' good." He grinned like a cat that had swallowed the canary. Ichigo settled in next her, resting his back against the wall.

Neither deigned to speak forthwith. Gradually her son broke the silence. "Is… she going to be okay now? I mean, I heard… but…"

"Yes."

A great weight lifted. Ichigo exhaled and nodded in relief. He brought his hands to his face and rubbed at it tiredly. Sakura's heart filled with motherly affection and despite the scorn it would be met with, she brushed her thumb over his cheek and chin. And because she couldn't help it - and the action always annoyed him - she ruffled his hair. He just smirked and snorted gently, pointedly jerking his head away half-heartedly, making her chuckle. It was the classic tug-o-war: mother treating the son like her baby even though said baby was nearly grown up and nearly out of her grasp. Sakura didn't care. Ichigo was going to be her baby even after he got married and had five billion drooling brats of his own. He accepted it gracefully, all while secretly liking it like all men did.

"Mom, I'm scared." Tragedy scared the little one out of everyone. His voice shook. "Nobody wants to tell me anything. What happened to her? Why was almost all of her chakra gone? Everyone keeps telling me to be quiet and stay out of the way." His eyes grew hard with anger. "She's my teammate," he growled. "More than that, she's my girlfriend. It's not right that I know nothing."

Sakura watched him closely. "I know, sweetie. I wish I knew too."

He stared at his mother. "They didn't tell you anything either?"

She shook her head even in the cradle of her arms. Her eyes were half-lidded.

His intense concern for his girl shifted to the side as he finally took note of his mother's state. He reached over and shook her shoulder. "You need to go to bed, Mom."

"Mmm. I know," she murmured dreamily.

"Come on." He slid his hand in hers and stood, tugging her reluctantly to her feet. "Let's go home."

"In a minute. You go ahead." She covered her face and swayed, her backside bumping the wall again.

_Forget it, she's about to keel._ Ichigo frowned. "Dad would kick my ass if I let you walk home alone like this." He leaned against her side. "Here…" He looped her arm around his shoulders and wrapped his arm around her waist. Good thing she didn't weigh a lot or wasn't that much taller. Giving in, Sakura allowed him to lead her, her head occasionally coming to rest against his every other step. Together they made their way out of the hospital.

"You're a good boy," Sakura told him, smiling drowsily. "I couldn't ask for a better kid, could I?" Her tone was light and teasing.

"Nope." He grinned again. "I'm the best there is."

* * *

Later when he standing over his mother's bed, watching her sleep, his smile was softer, more serious. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I'll never be able to do what you did tonight. I don't care what anyone says, Mom. You're a hero every day in my eyes. You always have been."

* * *

Katana perched on large battlements over the anonymous village. Clothed entirely in black, she resembled a crow perched with folded wings. Her ponytail flowed gently in the light breeze like an ebony colored silk flag. At length, she called down to someone waiting behind the granite wall. "Sasuke!" Beat, waiting for acknowledgment. "They're beyond the outer wall," she reported hollowly. "I don't think that will hold for much longer though…" her narrow gaze squinted, "already it looks like he's got some of his men trying to breach the levees."

In the barest of movements, Sasuke appeared beside her. He was dressed in like garb, suiting him far better than his daughter. Would he always look so boyish and young, Katana wondered vaguely. So close in age they looked they were often mistaken for siblings. Normally they just played to this convenient assumption rather than fan away at the inevitable disbelief. It wasn't easy. They had a couple of arguments about how to address one another while on a job. Niisan made him wince and he refused to call her imoto. In the end they decided their names were enough.

"Cowards," he muttered after watching the men mill about for a while. "Any man who hires guns has openly admitted his own weakness. He surrounds himself with what he does not possess; money being his only weapon of choice."

Speaking from experience, Papa?_ Katana cut him a sidelong glance. "Sasuke," she drawled slyly (secretly she relished using his first name and often did even off job just to piss him off). "If you really held such contempt for those heathens, you wouldn't work for them."_

His eyes remained on the targets. "I do."

"Oh?"

He gave her a Look. "If I passed up every job based on principle, you would starve. Just because I work for a 'heathen' does not mean I have to be interested in his moral character."

The girl's upper lip twitched. She figured he'd lay the 'working parent' trip on her. "The world is one big shade of gray, huh?" Katana rested her chin on her palm imploringly.

"At times," he replied at length. "There are exceptions."

"Hn? Such as…"

The answer came softly. "Men and women who know to do the right thing at a great personal cost to themselves."

"Have you done it?"

"Once."

"Once?" His daughter came back wryly, eyebrow arched. "So all of those times you've taken hits for me don't count then? I'm crushed. Here I was thinking you were being all, you know, noble and stuff."

Her father glared at her. "That's not what I meant, baka."

Undeterred she offered a slip of the tongue. "I was being sarcastic. It's called having a sense of humor, you should get one, they're nice."

Sasuke's mouth became a straight line and his gaze burned through her. Not this again._ Exasperated Katana rolled her eyes heavenward, wondering why the hell this man refused to let up with the brooding routine. _

"Sasuke," she imbued it with the aggravation she usually put into saying Papa, making it sound more like 'Sassskaaay.' "Cut it with the dirty looks already. It's not my fault you're a moron." But she was smiling.

It was slow, gradual, a snail's pace, the time it took for a seedling to sprout a root. He glanced at her once, twice before finally letting a tiny smile of his own stretch across his mouth. "Brat," he muttered.

Nonchalantly Katana smacked the side of his head with the heel of her hand before crouching to move through the lower wall. When they reached the end, they met their "coworkers" for a brief chat before fanning out to take care of the little chore they'd been hired to perform. This had been one of their more beneficent pursuits: preventing a small yakuza from subjugating a small town. The resident man in power had hired them along with two other missing nin (both women) to see to its demise. Despite the small number, it had been a successful operation. The pathetic yakuza movement died quickly within seventy-two hours. Afterwards Sasuke commented that had been the most boring (attempted) hostile takeover he'd ever seen in his life.

"Feh," his daughter sniffed when he said that. They were back again on the open road with nothing behind them and nothing ahead. "Boring or not, it meant something to those people, Papa, and they're not going to forget that."

He was adamantly indifferent. "They can remember what they like. It's either or for me."

Katana was miffed. "Oh Papa, really_…" _

"I'm serious."

"But you're a hero! … Aren't you?"

Sasuke's pace did not alter nor slow. His blank façade gave no clue to his real thoughts. "No more than Hikari and Seiyo were heroes, no more than you." He spoke shortly, with restraint. More softly he continued, feeling his daughter's slightly pained reaction to his words. "We do what we can, aka-chan. Our fifteen minutes are up and we're back at where we started."

She smiled and slipped her arm through his, the hand of which was at the moment tucked into a pocket. In defiance of the truth in his words, she decided to offer him a bit of hope after her own fashion.

" 'Know that whatever you are doing is the most beautiful thing,' " she murmured suddenly, presenting a bright smile.

Now where the hell…? Patience, Uchiha, she's eleven._ "Hn. Confucius?" _

"No," she replied cheerfully. "I read it on a teabag once."

Despite himself, Sasuke chuckled.

* * *

There's a passage in the Bhagavad-Gita that reads: "For certain is death for the born. And certain is birth for the dead. Therefore over the inevitable thou shouldst not grieve." I'm not in the business of soul-searching mostly because I was taught what was important was the here and the now. Humans are the ultimate masters of their own fates and with that freedom we then choose to do the things that we do. But for all those times death and I shared some face and eye moments, nothing quite prepared me for facing the real thing.

How long I wandered around the black void, tasting the confusing mess of my memories, I wouldn't have known to give you the time of day. The dead didn't need time - if this was indeed the afterlife. Well if it was, it sure was dark. It even seemed to have a smell. A bitter, polarizing scent clinging to every fiber of my being. Wait, did I even _have_ a being anymore? This thing, this shell I called my body, was it truly me? Who _was_ me? Was the concept of how I existed as a mortal self simply that, a mere concept? Perhaps I had always existed on another plane waiting for the time when my consciousness would merge with my "true" being? If so, then what _was_ my true being?

Stop stop! No more!

So it did.

The world was made of water. That, I surmised, or I've been drugged up so much that it's made me loopy enough to think so. Either way, I kind of wished I were still wandering on the edge of the void because my first sensations were not pleasant ones. Nobody likes waking up to painful stabbing sensations right in the middle of one's forehead. I knew it even before I opened my eyes that there was something very, very wrong with me.

The tip-off was breathing. Exhaling was no problem at all, however inhaling was like struggling to bring in more air into bruised, aching lungs already filled to capacity. Doing so drove my eyes open wide. The first thing I saw was ceiling. White, plain ceiling.

Too bright, everything was too bright. And those beeping machines were loud, piercing, penetrating.

Impatiently I waited for the nerves in my eyes to adjust to the over stimulation. Gradually I let them travel around, trying to take in what I could see from lying in my ironing board position.

The first irregularity (read: annoyance) was the oxygen mask. The plastic smell was nauseating and the hard edges dug uncomfortably into the sides of my face. I lifted my right arm automatically, instinctively, to tear it off. It stopped in mid air. Trailing out of it was a tube attached to a…. My throbbing eyes traveled along the length…. To a small hanging bag containing a saline solution. An IV, I identified after a moment of confusion and concern._ That's supposed to help me… I forget with what, though… Never mind, it's not important, but wait… That means, oh ugh, that what's taped to my arm is a needle embedded in my skin, probably inside a vein or something. Yuck. Don't think about it. _Yet how could I not? I've never been hospitalized before. All of these new things were strange and frightening. _Hospital,_ it came next, _that's what this is, right? I mean, it is where I am isn't it?_

Only one way to find out for sure: I needed to sit up. _That's great girl, why don't you attempt clapping your hands together too? _Right now if a fly landed on my nose there would have been absolutely nothing to be done. Fly: one, me: zero.

Fuck it. Here I go.

Ow ow ow. Okay, that was not in the least way good. I cringed, ceasing the screamingly painful effort. Going about this all the wrong way. Got to think… what body part isn't attached to a machine or trying to suffocate me? Hmm, dilemma, dilemma.

Ah. Left arm.

Push. My palm flattened against the mattress and I exerted everything I had into the push, balancing and leaning my weight onto it. _Ow ow ow, almost there, ow ow ow, damn it why does it fucking hurt so much! _Agony seared across my features and I gritted my teeth together in a fierce hiss. My poor arm quivered.

Disconnect. Don't think about the pain. Reel it, tuck it away in a corner in a little box. Yes, that's right, a teeny tiny little box with a lock.

Made it.

Steadying myself, rather shakily, I then performed my next sworn duty: ripping that baka oxygen mask _off_. Satisfied with doing this, I looked around again. Immediately my gaze was drawn to a figure lying in repose in a chair against the wall situated directly at the foot of my bed. _Icha Icha Paradise_ laid open on his lap upside down. Blearily my brain sluggishly registered his identity before sequentially directing my neck to pivot action. The shades on the window were wide-open allowing sunlight to absolutely flood the room. I guessed from the warm rays of light on the opposite wall it was about midday.

Suddenly I felt a spasm and a rush of dizziness. I needed to vomit.

The bathroom_, need to reach _the bathroom_. But I can't freaking move! Hurry, hurry, it's not going to wait for you to make up your mind! Bedpan. On the bed stand. Thank you._

So it was to the sound of me spewing up gastric juices into a bedpan that my sensei woke up. I was only vaguely aware of his stirring and when it registered, believe me the desire to _jisatsu suru_ never felt so strongly as it did at that time. It didn't help that he had to help balance me so I wouldn't fall off the bed and into a boneless heap on the cold marble floor.

"Sorry," I mumbled when he released me. "Wish you hadn't seen me do that."

"Me too."

_He's sweet._ I cracked a sickly smile.

He eye-grinned in return, making me feel marginally better. "How are you feeling?"

Absently I touched the band aid on my cheek. My foggy brain searched itself fruitlessly. _Where to begin. _"…Like shit." My fingers massaged my forehead and the side of my face. "I didn't think that fucker, ur um, sorry again, hit me that hard." Long blank pause before I looked up at him again. "Is he dead?"

Kakashi's gaze remained on me unwaveringly. It was not a questioning look.

I lowered my chin and nodded. "The others?"

"Dead also. The one the Hyuuga captured was interrogated and dealt with. One of them brought you here in lieu of the attempted abduction." Kakashi watched me the whole time, searching. "You've been unconscious for two days." He tilted his head to the side, a whisper of sympathy flickering there. "You're going to be here for a while."

I winced and doubled over slightly from the sudden stab of pain in my gut.

"You should lie down," he advised, trying to gently make me do so. "It's too soon for you to be sitting up." Yeah it was.

"_Hai_. But could you… prop me up? It hurts to breathe lying down. Please… if you don't mind." A light bit of red spread across my cheeks. _Damn, there I go again._ My sensei merely acquiesced my wishes, choosing to ignore that. He fit the pillows around me so I was being held up by them instead of suffering my poor back for the effort. "Thanks." Pause. "Is the baby okay?" I asked at length, not knowing what else to say. I picked at the sheets.

"He was back to caterwauling not five minutes later." He sounded somewhat amused through the bored delivery, believe it or not. "His screaming just about woke up the entire village."

_The Hyuuga Anti-Christ incarnate strikes again._ "He's colicky," I covered a yawn. "Least that's what Hinata-sama told me. Not that I care."

"Of course." Meaning of course he didn't believe a word of it.

A long, somewhat awkward pause ensued that stretched on far as the eye could see. We seemed to be making a habit of those. _So annoying. _Quite rightly I sensed he was waiting for me without drilling it out of me by force. I mean, why else would he be here, hovering around, waiting for me to wake up? (_Duh, because he's your teacher and he cares about you, he's supposed to look out for you.) _If I didn't go for it of my own accord, he probably wasn't going to be so nice about it if he wound up having to do it instead. Crap. I wished I was still unconscious.

Deep breath. "I couldn't sleep and decided to train outside. It… It usually helps." I began quietly, hesitantly. "They ran across my property while I was taking a breather. I saw what was going on and decided to pursue them. I predicted in advance where the man would try to escape. So I waited for him. When I momentarily lost sight of the main target I decided to dispatch the rest." Amazing how I felt absolutely nothing in my words. "I had the position. There was no danger." I folded my arms over my stomach and moved my shoulders some even though it hurt to do so. "No danger." Letting my words trail, I gazed vacantly across the room. _So tired… I just want to sleep again… _"Those were bad men. I don't regret what I did." I drew a short, shuddery breath. Damn it to hell these cracked ribs!

My sensei rested a hand on my shoulder. Did he see my fear of his damnation for being what I was? Or worse, was it just his proffered pity? Above all I didn't want his pity. But the fact I'd just considered such a thing, pity was the _last_ thing he ought to be feeling for me. "You don't have to defend yourself," he told me.

Easy for him to say! "I feel compelled to." I vaguely glanced at the closed door, whispering. "I'm not the same as the other two, Kakashi-sensei…" I drew my knees up and loosely tucked an arm around one bent leg.

"No," he replied curtly. "But you _can_ help them when they need it, when the time comes. They _will_ need it, Katana. The time _will_ come."

Intellectually, I knew he was right. In reality, I wanted to curl up and shiver in a corner. Instead I merely nodded, drawing the backs of my hands across my eyes, my face. "I've done… things," I murmured. "I don't want them to do the things I've done."

"Unavoidable," he intoned lazily. "They'll make their mistakes and they'll deal with them. So will you. It's part of being a ninja. You already know this so I won't lecture you."

"Then don't." My knees drew up further and I stared straight ahead, deliberately not looking at him.

Sigh. "You're a very stubborn girl."

"Hn."

Kakashi surprised me by suddenly (yet gently because I was still fragile from my ordeal) grasping my chin and turning my head so that our gazes met. When I reluctantly met his eye, narrowed and dark though my glare was, he let me go.

"Katana," he said seriously, the tone of his voice suggesting what he was about to say was something that he had been preparing to for a long time. "I know that you've avoided seeking my guidance because you feel guilty about your father." My chin betrayed the barest of acceptance. "You think that when I look at you, I see him. Well," he drawled, sheepishly rubbing the back of his silver tuft, "when it comes to family resemblance you both have that darkly charismatic affect." He eye-grinned at my twitching lips fighting back a smirk - and a blush. "I'm here to help you, not judge you. Please believe that."

Unable to speak, I nodded again, absently touching behind my ear, letting my fingers glide down one unbound lock of hair. I would try.

Thump.

Automatically my head jerked up, startled. The hell was that?

"That would be the door." My sensei sounded entirely too lighthearted for the seriousness he had exuded only seconds before.

An enormous wave of weariness draped over me like a chakra-sucking blanket. Sadly nothing in me was prepared to deal with anything or anyone at the moment. Everything was still too bright, too loud, too much of a puzzled mesh of noise and irritable sickly smells. My chest felt tight, my lips cold. I ached in places I couldn't put names to - my whole _body_ felt like one giant cramp. Exhaling in a hurricane of released tension, I relaxed into the pillows rigidly. My lower back tingled with numb prickles from sitting up for so long. I spoke, not making eye contact, the one word charged with regret.

"No."

Kakashi understood and inclined his head just so. He studied me thoughtfully for a moment and then gave me a slight bow in farewell. Alone at last, I turned my head toward the window, my eyes catching the sun's rays as they traveled over the wallpaper. Dimly I could hear my sensei informing whomever it was I wasn't in any condition to see visitors and should be left alone. My potential visitor didn't seem to take it very well.

"_What?_ Can't I just sit there for a little while?"

"I'm sorry."

"But…. Kakashi-sensei! She's my girlfriend!" The rest was lost echoing down the hall as Kakashi dragged the hapless squirrel off.

My heart squeezed painfully. Eyes closing, I laced my fingers together and bowed my face into them. Not that I liked to admit it but I needed him more than I knew was healthy. More than how badly my body was hurting, I needed the haven of his simple existence, his unconditional love.

But… I couldn't.

_I can't let him see how easily I break._ Hot tears burned my eyes._ It's always the same isn't it?_ I forced my head to turn from the sun that reminded me so much of the missing comfort in my life.

* * *

_Translations:  
__jisatsu suru - commit suicide_

_A/N: In the Sasuke/Katana memory, can anyone spot the Pretty in Pink dialogue? The quote at the end of that scene came off of an actual teabag. The quote Sasuke cites is from Edward Everett Hale's_ Lend a Hand_. The password used is a quote by Stephen Grellet._


	17. Forests and Hospital Visits

During his long illuminant career of being one of Konoha's finest shinobi, Naruto had been to a lot of places. Each village he visited had its own culture and its own basic structure of how things worked. They even had varying viewpoints of what was considered true strength. What especially stuck with him though were the differing regional weather patterns. Places like the Hidden Village of Sand were hot and arid climates where areas the Hidden Village of Rain saw a lot of gray skies and biblical downpours. Rather like this tiny country. Only here it was… it was hard to describe, really. Naruto didn't own the best vocabulary and wished for once he could enunciate his feelings toward the locale with a bit more sophistication. Lush, he struggled, secretive, hidden, close, cool, wet. Very _very_ wet.

_Gah! I'm not good at this, better stop before I hurt myself. _

Thick prehistoric sized trees grew in close together, covered in thick vines and layers upon layers of dense, soft, downy, green moss. The canopy was so enmeshed it was quite possible sunlight was unable to reach the forest floor. Since it was spring, purple and white flowering morning glories twined easily about the lower, lesser trees. White crocuses claimed dominion of the forest floor. In one thicket area was a plot of cherry blossom trees, their petals a stark contrast against the misty darkness of their greater cousins. A closer look confirmed they had been deliberately cultivated, probably by the people who lived here. There was an abundance of birds and insects.

The people of this land called it Anzen no Chi Mori. It fit.

Landing on the ground with his comrades, Naruto gazed around the wooded wonder, his brows knitted together in puzzlement. "Um… Akira?" he ventured. The clan head looked back at him.

"Where are the houses?"

It was Yuki who answered him. "You're looking at them."

_Looking_ at them? Naruto quirked an eyebrow. "Huh?" Even Neji looked confused.

While they spoke, Lee spied a small child up in the thick foliage of the canopy. She had to be about eight years old. Running along the thick limb of one tree, she hopped easily down, one, two, three and four. On the last branch she skipped along to the trunk. Hooking her fingers into a knothole in the wood, she yanked on it. Lee was astonished to see it become a circular door, which she pulled open with ease. Then she disappeared. _Inside_. "Sugoi," the taijutsu specialist said to himself, quite dumbfounded, clearly unable to believe what he'd just observed.

Ino was staring at another tree. Round holes were starting to open, first starting at the bottom and then going toward the top. She touched Neji's arm and pointed. He looked and blinked twice. It was the only sign he gave of being surprised.

"The hell?" Naruto expressed his shock with vocal amplification and wide baby blues. Two and two was coming out five and the sky and the ground had switched colors. "You people live inside _trees_?"

"How do you think," Yuki spoke up for the first time, his even voice more clipped than his older sibling's, "we've managed to remain a secret for all these years?" He made an all-encompassing gesture. His hubris was apparent to all. "These trees are only one subdivision. Most of the main living areas are underground. The trees act just as hollow mediums. Travel points if you will."

Tenten shared an impressed look with Ino who nodded in agreement.

One of them finally got his brain around it. "How do you keep from killing them? Wouldn't that obstruct their root systems?" Neji disputed calmly.

Akira nodded. "It does. But we have our own… experts." His thick eyebrows rose and lowered. "We've perfected our methods. The trees don't die anymore."

"Akira," the wolf put in, "don't lie to them."

The clan head scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Okay," he confessed rapidly, "three died this year, we're not that perfect." Yuki and the rest of the ninja chuckled good-naturedly as their leader reddened and grinned. _Okay, I make a bad liar, so sue me._

The five Konoha ninja swapped glances, even smiling somewhat themselves. The hovering tension of uncertainty was beginning to slowly dissipate. It was starting to look like these folks weren't much different from the people in Konoha. They just lived… rather strangely.

Way up in the tree tops, a young woman's head abruptly poked out of one of the large holes. She leaned out halfway, scanned the forest floor and squinted down at them. "Oi!" she exclaimed when she recognized them. She called over her shoulder to someone within. "They're back, they're back! It looks like they've got people with them!" Sticking her arm out, she waved down at them gaily. "Heishi-san!" she called her other hand cupped to the side of her mouth. "Whoja bring?"

He waved back at her. "Konoha."

"Konoha." She yelled back, a question in her voice. "Hey Wolf, isn't that…"

"Go get my sister, Hikari," Akira very quickly interrupted her. "Inform her that we've arrived and, please, do something about making accommodations."

The woman frowned, puzzled and then dawning realization shuttered her face as it came to her she needed to keep her mouth shut. She made a silent gesture of acknowledgement with her fist before withdrawing.

Naruto caught all this and wondered, eyeing the man in the mask warily. What had she been about to say? He mentally filed that one for later. All these little things were bound to add up to something interesting and he was pretty sure he was smart enough to figure it out on his own.

"Ashita Hikari," sighed Akira and it was not a happy sound. "You'd think she'd be a _little_ more discreet considering our circumstances," he told Neji. He finally looked at him and Naruto because the blonde was paying close attention too. "She's the most powerful female kunoichi in our clan. Heh," he exhaled in amusement, "I'd actually advise against any of you having much to do with her at all unless you can't avoid it."

"Why?" Tenten asked. Her query caused several of the male ninja nearby to cough and avert their eyes. A few of the women smirked and shook their heads. The brunette caught the unsubtle hint and turned a light shade of pink. If you get what you ask for in this world, you better be able to handle it, she advised herself.

For once Naruto had no words. He hadn't even gotten a clear glimpse of this woman and already she was a force to be reckoned with. It made him wonder about what other kinds of people resided here in Anzen no Chi Mori.

Well, finding out was always part of the fun! He grinned to himself, not caring if anyone thought him odd.

No more time was wasted on introduction or gawking at the scenery. Approaching the nearest behemoth of a tree, Akira waved his hand over the bark. Chakra glowed on the palm of his hand briefly. When he lowered his arm, the wood actually split into a huge, hollow crack that revealed the inside of what appeared to be - no way, Naruto thought - an very large platform elevator. An elevator inside a tree. He had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

"Suzushii…" _Now I've seen everything. That's it, Uzumaki, there is nothing that will astonish or bedazzle you again. I'm done here, enjoy the rest of your uneventful life. _

Lee seemed to echo his sentiments. "Pinch me."

With an evil grin, Naruto did just that. The green beast yelped and dealt the blonde with an open-palmed blow to the head. This started a minor quarrel between them lasting about halfway through the elevator's descent. Tenten kept exclaiming in womanish wonderment. Ino ooed and ahhed at the glowing cave moss that grew along the walls. Somewhere from below a heated swirling draft of air created a tornado effect around the small group. It rushed through their clothes, drying the sweat on their bare skin. Gradually Ino's bare arms prickled and she shivered. For a second she unconsciously sidestepped against the man in the mask, causing their arms to touch. Stiffening at the intrusive contact - fearing she had offended him - she stepped away again at once. He barely noticed.

Unimpressed by the mild drama of their short journey, Neji grilled Akira about the mission details. He wanted to know how many ninja were in his clan, how many were termed "civilians," what type of infrastructure was this underground village made of and what were their defenses. He also catechized about Sound's current movements in full detail. Eventually Tenten and Ino stopped eyeballing their surrounding to listen. Lee simply ceased speaking to Naruto. Ignoring the former dobe wasn't easy. Lee managed it somehow although if anyone watched him closely, the corner of one round eye twitched occasionally.

As for him, Naruto only spared the long-winded explanations a marginal iota of attention. He ignored what he thought to be "useless" details and only paid attention to what sounded the most important. Or what he deemed the most important to _him_. So far things sounded bad. The bloody massacre. The secret mountain defenses wiped out. Dead bodies of loved ones and comrades found butchered and left in plain sight. The details of such killings were horrific and had profound effects on the listeners. They were at fifty percent of their capacity, Akira explained somberly. "It'll only be a matter of time before _he_ discovers our underground home," the despondent leader was saying. "If he doesn't know already, that is. I've taken measures to screen every person who walks in and out of this place. We even have anti-genjutsu seals up around vulnerable areas. But I don't know how long those will hold," he added worriedly, his brows drawing together. His arms folded over his chest.

"He?" Neji probed, tilting his head, although he already suspected the answer.

In response, Akira shuddered. "Orochimaru." He spoke the name in a hushed, frightened manner, his tone full of deep, quiet dread. A brief catharsis of fear took hold of the brothers on the elevator (they were the only two members accompanying them; the rest had either returned to their duties or taken other elevators). It lasted long enough for their newfound allies to feel it too…. And in the case for one of them, the feeling was not new. Like a cat at the receiving end of a scare, Naruto visibly bristled. His muscles twitched spastically and the hairs on the back of his neck stood to attention. Though he had not seen the poisonous snake-bastard for almost an entire decade, the mere mention of his name was still enough to set his blood boiling and vision swimming with fantasies of red murder.

Naruto had a list of grievances against the missing nin. So long there was a possibility that there was no end to them. Orochimaru, who tried to kill his friends. Orochimaru, who tried to kill _him_. Orochimaru, who lay waste to Konoha. Orochimaru, who killed the Third Hokage. Orochimaru, who was responsible for those hard times that frequently fell upon their village.

However in his mind those weren't even Orochimaru's worst crimes. No, that bastard was responsible for simply one single unforgivable crime: Hurting, manipulating and stealing away Naruto's most important person. An important person whose very name still caused his stomach to roil and his eyes to burn with an internal denial forever threatening to become external.

_"It was his choice, Naruto. He wanted to leave! Can't you remember his eyes? It was killing him to stay here!" Sakura shouted, fists shaking at her sides. She sighed then. "I didn't see it back then… I was too selfish with wanting him to acknowledge it because I just - I didn't _want_ to _believe_ it. That I could - that we _would_ - lose him." _

_She was standing on the bridge beside her friend and only other remaining member of Team 7. It was the eve before Naruto would go for yet another attempted rescue… another that would ultimately turn out to be his last._

_"Then why couldn't I see it?" he shouted back, shaking. "And why did it have to be _Orochimaru_? Why didn't he ask _us_? We would have helped! I would have…" he faltered, his voice thick with emotion, "I would have followed him through hell, Sakura-chan. It-It wouldn't have mattered to me."_

_Sakura's wide jade eyes grew round. "Naruto…" She closed the short distance between them and stood in so close, he could feel the heat of her sweet breath ghosting on his face. "I know," she whispered, making him tremble. "I…I would have let him walk all over me if my body gave him something to stand on."_

_Naruto couldn't fight it anymore. "Sakura-chan." He seized her, threading his fingers through her short, silken hair and crushed his mouth against hers. _

His hands gripped the elevator's railing until the polished wood squeaked in protest. _If the darkness deep inside him had a name... _His eyes became prismatic, orange-red specks and the whiskers on his cheeks grew darker, longer and more prominent. _Fuck, that he can still get to me, that son of a bitch…_

The masked man standing beside him wrapped his fingerless glove around the blonde man's wrist. Naruto stilled and forced himself to take a deep breath. Yeah he was losing it wasn't he? He smiled weakly at the white shape in faint gratitude. There was a pervasive feeling that he was being scrutinized._ I wish I could see his face…_

"You hate this man… Orochimaru." He removed his hand.

Had to give the jerk credit: he was perceptive. "Yeah," Naruto muttered. "Ne, I can't help feeling a rush of rage every time I get involved in a mission where he's remotely concerned." His bright blue eyes were dark and gray under ground. "There are some people in this world you just can't ever forgive… or should. In my case, it's like this festering wound that just won't go away." A festering wound named Orochimaru.

"Aa." The mask tilted back to gaze upward for a moment. "You're preaching to the choir."

"What'd he do to you?"

"What he does best: he used me." The shape turned again toward his companion. "But he wasn't able to get what he wanted…. Nor was I willing." Naruto heard the smirk in his voice. "The path he offered me was nothing compared to the one I found on my own."

Naruto smiled and crossed his arms habitually behind his head. "Heh. Personally I think just about any path other than his is the right one."

"Possibly." The mask dipped his chin. "Uzumaki…" he began softly after a pregnant silence.

The glowing moss became replaced by electric lights, flashing shadows over their faces.

The blonde glanced at him, back against the railing. "Hm?"

"Do you think a man can ever go home again?"

Naruto blinked, puzzled at first, but then he took note of the drawn manner in which the other held himself. "I think," he began slowly, quietly, "if a man's chosen path leads him there, then he was meant to all along."

"Even if he might not be forgiven?"

The blonde smiled mysteriously. "It's the risk you take. If this path leads him home, in its own way, that itself is forgiveness. Then, I think, that's when he can start living again." He huffed in amusement when he caught the other man focusing unwaveringly upon him. "Heh, sorry, I'm not makin' any sense. No wonder my son thinks I'm nuts."

The elevator came to a stop. The wolf stayed behind a breath, watching after the blonde man.

_Naruto, you've changed… and yet I still know you… If I took off my mask, would you still know me?

* * *

_

My no-visitors policy stayed in effect for about oh… another day. Not long after forcing my stomach to take in sustenance it was more than happy to send back up, I decided to screw food for the moment. Sakura was right when she said it was too soon for me to start stuffing myself. I tried to sleep but my body clearly told me, damn, girl enough of that already! Finally at one last-ditch attempt to occupy myself, I did some heavy thinking. All I accomplished from this noble effort was discovering the total number of ceiling tiles in my room and why one section of wallpaper was paler than the one on the opposite side.

But the time allotted to me was enough to allow me to get my head ready for the pressing demand of people who were now issuing death threats against my sensei and the hospital staff. Thankfully they were courteous enough (because I was the patient and therefore _my_ desires came _first_) to give me a choice. However "no" was clearly no longer an option. I had to see _somebody_.

I was sitting in my pillow-aided position, hands resting on my crooked legs, playing with my fingers, when I heard the door click open. I looked up.

Ichigo inched into the room, after getting enough of the door open to slide his body through. His gaze was on the floor and of what I could see of his withdrawn face, his eyes were dark and there were half moon shadows beneath them. _Has he slept? _His attire consisted of a white shirt bearing a large red X emblem and black pants, both matching his unusually dour demeanor. His eyes slowly rose to meet mine, face shuttering in sympathy.

My heart wrenched. I knew what he was seeing. _So pathetic._ I dipped my chin, wanting to bury my face for sheer misery. A fresh sting of tears welled. One treacherous drop escaped, hurrying down my cheek.

Seeing it, Ichigo moved immediately to my side and sat at the edge of the bed. He allowed me to draw against him and bury my face into his shirt. My fingers flexed, drawing some of the fabric up while his own raked gently through my tangled curtain of hair. His soft murmurs of, "It's okay, it's okay," so close to my ear made me tremble in his arms. Fighting back the sobs congesting inside my already battered chest, I was unable to help half-choking as one slipped out.

He didn't ask me why I refused him yesterday. He didn't ask me what had happened. He didn't ask me how I was feeling. It said enough when his hand skipped along my ribs over the thin fabric of my hospital gown and I hissed in pain. Ichigo silently apologized by lifting my chin and lightly ghosting his fingertips, callused from so much shuriken practice, across the planes of my cheeks, first one and then the other. My eyes closed at his gentle touch, my whole body gravitating toward it. Wanting to return this new intimacy, I drew close to his neck and pressed my lips against his skin. Ichigo's eyes closed and he muffled his whimpers as I kissed down to his shoulder. I missed how his eyes slightly rolled back in his head as he felt the reaction his body was having to my touches. I didn't know at the time that what I was doing to him was prompting a very sexual response.

Finally Ichigo made a strangled pleading sound. "Katana…"

I drew back quickly. "Sorry… You don't like that?"

Ichigo shifted uncomfortably and shook his head mutely. "N-No," he stuttered at length, not meeting my eyes. "I liked it… liked it a lot. Just, um… yeah… we can't do that yet." His eyes came back up. "Cause we're… you know… thirteen and…and… I-I don't think either of us are ready to go… that far." His stuttering got worse. "You don't like it when I touch you so… so… yeah… Um…" His expression and red face begged for me to throw him an anchor. _Help me I don't know what I'm saying._

Oh. It dawned on me and I flushed with shame and embarrassment. What I'd done to him was the same as when his hand would accidentally cup one of my breasts while we made out. I always pushed it away. This wasn't much different. I drew back and rested my hand on his cheek briefly before letting it fall to my lap again. He mumbled, "Sorry."

"It's okay. I-It's nothing to be ashamed of."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. N-Not to say that I didn't think about it, ur, not that I'm…I'm… shoot."

I smiled at his poor attempt at brevity. "Baka." My insult made him perk up. "You suck at subtlety."

"And you just plain suck," he sneered back. I pushed hard at his shoulder with the heel of my hand and he retaliated by tugging on a lock of my hair.

"You guys sure know how to whisper sweet nothings to each other." A familiar arrogant voice spoke up from the doorway. We looked up, startled. When the hell had he sneaked in?

_Oh please tell me he didn't watch us… That hentai, I'll kill him!_

Takashi leaned against the threshold, arms folded and the smirk reaching his amber eyes. "Please, don't stop on my account. Guy needs his sex education to come from _somewhere_."

Totally livid, Ichigo leapt off the bed, eyes flashing with pure cold-blooded murder. "You shit head," he delivered contemptuously. "You better hope all those laps we had to do at the Academy paid off."

"You ought to know," Takashi returned with equal relish, backing up as Ichigo advanced. "You always came in last."

There was a lag in which Ichigo made fists and trembled with rage, the precursor to a full on attack. Takashi glanced quickly at me. "If I'm still alive, I'll come back later, okay?"

I waved at him. "Don't lead him into the mine field like you did last time. As a personal favor to me?"

Takashi nodded and lit out with his irate teammate hot on his tail. They brushed against Tomoe just entering my room, who expertly dodged their barreling bodies with the evasive grace of a Hyuuga. "Whoa!" she exclaimed before shouting down after them: "_Oi_ you idiots, no running in the hospital!" Rolling her opaque eyes dramatically, she entered my room, arms akimbo with flowers. "How'd you get stuck with those two freak jobs? My boys are normal compared to yours."

Tomoe was on Team 10 with Inuzuka Okami and Nara Akito. In comparison to his outspoken uncle, Okami was mild-mannered and somewhat reflective. He was the kind of guy who preferred to think before jumping into the fray. Akito on the other hand, had inherited the Nara laziness but not the cynicism. Sometimes the guy was so optimistic you wanted to slap him, really. Tomoe was brash and shrewd, jumping ahead of the other two boys when they were slow on the uptake. They all suited each other perfectly.

I moved my shoulders in the approximation of a shrug. "Just lucky, I guess."

"Heh." She smiled at my reply. "Stupid question. How do you feel?"

"Like I swallowed Rock Lee whole and he's kicking his way to freedom."

Tomoe's pretty face scrunched up in sympathy. "Ooo that's not good." She set the flowers - all daisies - on the bed stand before coming round to enfold me in a delicate hug and dropping a feather light kiss on my cheek. She tucked my hair behind one ear and pulled up the chair from the end of the bed.

For several moments we sat in silence, neither of us speaking.

"Thanks," I began quietly, "for the flowers."

"Yeah," she replied, glancing at them, uncharacteristically solemn. "The Yamanaka shop has a lot of daisies this year and I know you like them. Sorry I couldn't get you white… they only had yellow."

"It's okay. I like them."

Tomoe relaxed enough to smile again. "So… was it just the one guy or…"

Sigh. I hated drawn out melodramatics. "Aa. All but the one your family caught." It was easier to talk gazing out the window so I did just that.

"I saw that man's body," she began uneasily. "What did you… he was pulp."

"_Rai Toku no jutsu_," I replied, laying against the cushions again.

"What is that?"

"It's my technique. I can adjust the chakra flow so it's either as harmless or as fatal as I want it to be. Ever heard of the Chidori?"

She shook her head.

"Well, it's just a powerful assassination jutsu my father taught me. I combined the effects of that jutsu with another I learned from a scroll I found in a bookstore. It requires you to be at the peak of health and you must in no way have your chakra levels depleted. Otherwise you wind up dead."

Tomoe paled. "And knowing this, you did it anyway?"

Nod.

"Why? Why would you do that?"

"For the baby." My eyes dropped again to my fingers.

"But Katana… no one asked you to!" Tomoe gripped the edge of my mattress. "I mean, Kami, even if he got out of Konoha, we would have kept chasing him. Would have been a whole hell of a lot harder but we wouldn't have stopped."

_Such naviete, she needs a crash course in affirmative action._ I glared at her then. "And possibly lost other members of your family along the way? Maybe violated a few territorial treaties in the process? Caused maybe an international shit storm this village isn't prepared to deal with? Look, Tomoe, I _know_ how these things work. You let one get away you let them ALL get away. I've seen whole villages burn to the ground because of something as mundane as a kidnapping!"

"It's happened before, Katana," Tomoe interjected stubbornly. "And for it Konoha's been able to stand through. I mean, hell, a demon fox nearly obliterated this place and look at it."

"But who died for it?"

Tomoe closed her mouth. This time, she was the one who looked away. Another silence took up residence.

"I…" my friend began hesitantly. I looked at her. "I hope you don't think I'm angry with you. Don't get me wrong, I am..." (I smiled) "…What you did was incredibly gutsy. You just went right out there and knew what to do. You succeeded where we failed, heh, and I suppose I'm a little mad about that too." She folded her arms shyly and leaned forward. "It's my job as a Branch House member to protect the Hyuuga heir and, well, you made me run out in the middle of the night in my pajamas." Suddenly she blushed deep crimson and covered her face with both hands. "Oh shit, I was wearing only my sports bra!"

_Sports bra?_ My eyebrow rose in interest.

Eventually Tomoe lifted her beet colored face, total mortification blazing in those round white depths. "I went to tell Takashi about what happened to you. Both he and his brother." If it were possible, she turned even pastier. "Oh…I'm going to die… _Hayabusa Shinji_ saw _me_ in my _bra_…."

Oh for the sake of Kami. She certainly had perfected dying of classic abject humiliation down to an art! I sighed through my nose and lightly shook my head. My eyelids fluttered shut briefly.

"Oh shut up," she muttered.

"What?"

"You think it's funny!"

An evil smirk crawled across my face.

Tomoe bristled. "You're lucky you're already in the hospital, girl."

I snarled. "Lucky me."

"Bitch."

"Flirt."

"Lead-on."

"Man-eater."

"Man-eater?" My rival sputtered. "Do you see me leaving strings of broken hearts in my wake? That's you, babe." But she was smiling gently and I was hugging my knees, grinning back. Our little spat had accomplished its purpose. Tomoe probably knew how badly I was feeling more than I did with those eyes of hers. She stood after a quick check of the time on her wrist (she's one of the few ninja I know who wears a sports watch). Leaning over once again, she gave me another gentle hug. Before she pulled back, she whispered, "Thank you."

Not knowing what to say, I did what I usually did when I didn't know what to say. Letting the corner of my mouth twitch and my chin lower. Squeezing my wrist in parting, Tomoe promised to come back tomorrow.

When she was gone, I glanced over at the daisies. Stretching out, I plucked one from the bunch and sat back, twirling the bloom between my fingers. The petals spun around like a bright yellow pinwheel.

* * *

Takashi paused for breath, leaning on his knees, tossing out his senses by force of habit. Ichigo hadn't caught up yet so he figured he could use this time to rejuvenate. Surely by the time the slowpoke managed to catch up, he'd been ripe for another league. Whereupon interception he would promptly leave the blonde whirlwind sucking leaves once again. 

He sniggered under his breath. It was so much fun to watch that guy's sunny features scrunch up in apoplectic rage. If Ichigo realized Takashi was only pissing him off because it was easy to do so, he'd have stopped being so overly sensitive a long time ago. _But he's too stupid to figure that out,_ he thought with savage glee. To tell the real truth, it was at those times he was very deeply angered that Ichigo transformed into a force to be reckoned with. When they sparred, he felt the kid's controlled fervor. The ability to tame such an amount of sheer _passion_ for the fight fascinated Takashi. He'd never known someone who could use a dangerous emotion like anger to focus rather than to _lose_ focus. Even if his abilities were not all that impressive, it was the mind that used them Takashi was interested in.

Now if only the moron would consciously see it. However the likelihood of Ichigo noticing his unseen advantage was a very inimitable one. Takashi would hint, of course, but he wasn't obnoxious enough to _not_ let the rowdy kid find out for himself. Part of the fun, if you asked him. Watching the pain in the ass struggle, piss and moan was one of the highlights of being caged on this aggravating team. Bad enough there was a beautiful distraction and a seemingly less-than-enthusiastic sensei guiding them.

Beautiful distraction, huh. Guiltily he reminded himself to go back to see her. The sight of her so miserable had bothered him profoundly, more than he thought it would. Picking a fight with Ichigo was the only way he could think of to get out of there without arousing her suspicions. He hadn't wanted to leave but…

A pair of hands clamped on his shoulder. "Boo!"

Takashi instinctively leapt up, grabbed the branch above and then rotated his bottom half to deliver a straight kick. His heel connected with Ichigo's jaw and knocked him down a canopy level. His body crashed through the leaves before colliding with a trunk-sized branch, the hard surface connecting heavily with his back. A sickening crack resounded in the air, so loud it was deafening. Ichigo jerked once, eyes round and wide. They moved dazedly from side to side, glazing, still, staring, closing, closing, closed. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

Takashi hung there, staring down at the other boy, utterly horrified. _Turn into a replication, a replacement, something, anything, c'mon don't be real, don't be real…_ He agonized, waiting, holding his breath. _Pleasepleaseplease…_ His heart pounded blood through his ears.

Ichigo did not move. He did not disappear and he did not transform into something else. Suddenly the shadows of the branches and the leaves over his inert form became very, very dark. The harsh sound of his own breathing inside his ears was a hollow noise and faintly Takashi began to tremble and sweat. A cool wind ghosted over his cold, clammy skin.

His teammate was…. Oh no, oh _hell_ no.

"Oh shit," he breathed, like a prayer, over and over again. "Oh shit, oh shit…" Numbly he leapt down to the branch where Ichigo lay, barely able to move his muscles which had transformed into lead. Almost stumbling he forced himself to approach, stalling, afraid to confirm, feeling as if a hand had reached into his body and ripped his stomach out. Unable to stand, he moaned and fell to his knees, barely managing not to plummet to the forest floor. He cursed again, fiercely, desperately, "Fuck, oh shit shit _shit_, I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_…. Oh Kami, _no_…"

A hand raked through his hair, clenched and then yanked his head back to reveal his throat. Another pressed a kunai against the pale, delicate flesh. His yellowish orange eyes bulged and he sucked in a startled breath. Ahead of him he watched, shocked, as the body vanished with a puff of smoke.

A voice whispered in his ear, close enough for Takashi to feel the heat of his breath. "Gotcha _bakayaro_." Then immediately he was released, receiving a rough smack on the back of his head for a parting gift. Ichigo rolled in front of him, crouched beside him on the branch, a smart ass grin plastered all over his damn sunny face.

It took some time for it to sink in and when it did Takashi's shock bled quickly into rage. A trick, _it was all a fucking joke!_ His eyes narrowed and he found he was having a hard time controlling the urge to really deliver the dark promise of the deed he had thought he had done only seconds before. "You…You…"

But Ichigo was laughing. "You should have seen the look on your face! If I'd only had a camera! Priceless! Ha!" He smacked the branch with his palm while wiping a tear from the corner of one eye with the other. So enraptured in his merriment, he failed to defend when Takashi knocked him down flat roughly, stole the kunai right out his hand and then held it against his throat. Ichigo stilled, wide green eyes staring up in surprise.

Takashi glared poison. "You son of a bitch," he hissed. "Everything's a fucking joke to you. I really thought I had killed you."

"You did?"

"YES I DID!" Takashi managed to scream it out without raising one octave of his voice, which was astonishing really given how much he was shaking.

For the first time, Ichigo took note of Takashi's appearance. His breath was short and panicky and he was shaking something terrible, although it was not out of anger. He's…scared, he's actually scared! This shocked Ichigo profoundly for he had not anticipated this reaction. "I didn't mean…" he stammered.

Takashi refused to budge. "I know. But you did it."

"I'm…"

Takashi pressed harder into the blonde's skin. All alarm and anger had vanished into the chilly façade the Hayabusa kid was famous for. "Don't. That I was so easily fooled shows the failure was mine. I went right where you wanted me to go." He took the kunai away. "I am not going to make that mistake again." Pocketing the weapon, he stood and backed off, allowing the other to stand, which he did, slowly.

"Um," Ichigo began at length, gaze following his teammate's back as the other moved along the branch. "Still am, you know," he concluded lamely.

Takashi faced him. "Uzumaki…" he warned.

Ichigo's green eyes were two cut jewels. "Well excuse the fuck out of me! What I did was not cool and you know it and I know it so just let me say it!" Pause. "You know I'm not sorry, now that you're being such an asshole about it."

Because his back was facing him he didn't see Takashi crack a relieved grin and very slowly exhale. Turning back to his fellow Genin, he folded his arms, smirking.

Ichigo halted mid-rant, puzzled. "What?"

"Nothing. Let's spar."

"Where?"

"Here."

"Here?"

Nod.

"Now?"

"Yes. Now." Takashi regarded him with mild reproach. "What's the matter? Scared you'll fall?"

"You wish." There it was, that was what he was waiting for, that fire. For a second it seemed to appear as if something orange flickered in his rival's eyes. Takashi blinked a couple of times. He must be seeing things. He slid into a stance, watching as the other did the same.

"How much did you see anyway?" Ichigo demanded.

He was he was talking about. "Not much…unless I was catching the tail end of it."

"Then you didn't see anything."

Takashi stared at him. "If I had, I wouldn't have stood there. I have a sense of decency. My parents _did_ raise me right."

Ichigo growled. "And just what are you implying?"

"Hey," Takashi spun his kunai around once. "You said it, I didn't." No more was said for he formed an elemental seal and with a wave of both palms, delivered a whack of wind. It slammed leaves and branches and sent his opponent flying amongst them. Waiting for Ichigo's inevitable rebuttal, he whistled for his falcon. Feeling the bird, a small peregrine falcon, land on his shoulder, Takashi gave an inner sigh of relief. He promised himself that no matter what happened, he would not let such an apparent ruse catch him off guard again. This had made him realize things he had rather not have. Had made him think for just a moment, that he actually _cared_ about what happened to the idiot because he didn't. He just didn't.

* * *

Hinata came to visit me sometime the next day, which surprised me. It shouldn't have… of course the head of the Hyuuga would want to thank the one who had rescued her child. Her appearance was so abrupt and unexpected I instinctively grabbed up my tangled knots and pushed them to the top of my head in a panic. I looked like utter crap and the last thing I wanted was having a rich noble see sickly pale me with bruises, bandages and a rat's nest adorning the top of my head. Hinata gave me a small smile _You don't have to do that _as she approached my bed. As usual she looked stunning without even trying; long flowing purple hair spread across her shoulders, framing her elegant, pretty face, her attire consisted of a very rich pale lavender kimono. I tried to return her regal smile with one of my own but failed miserably. Smiling was something that was becoming a very difficult activity for me these days. 

"You weren't expecting me, I take it?" she asked sweetly, her smile growing.

I shook my head no.

She sank into the chair Tomoe had vacated hours ago. Lightly beaming, she went on. "You don't have to worry about being proper. I never ask anyone to lower their eyes to me… nor should they. How is everything?"

_Where to start._ "It hurts. I hate being stuck in this bed," I replied baldly, not wanting to whine, however Hinata had a way about her that somehow let anyone who she spoke with to tell her what was truly bothering them. I was no exception. "I don't like this place, I feel like I'm suffocating."

This seemed to say something to the clan head, although what it was about what I said that made her remember whatever it was that she was remembering, I would have yet discover. "What has your doctor told you?"

"I'll be able to go home in a few more days and even then I won't be able to do much." A huff escaped me. "It's going to be hard, I'm not used to being idle." I looked up at her. "Sorry… I don't mean to complain at you. I'm sure you get enough of it at home."

She laughed gently. "Oh it's quite all right. Yours are understandable and justified. What I have to deal with at home is far more irritating." Hinata folded her hands neatly in her lap. "Can I do anything for you?"

I shook my head.

"Please." She reached for my limp hand. "Words enough can't express what you've done for the Hyuuga - for me - and I cannot stand the thought of not doing something in return." Her expression was filled with desperation as if my refusal of her gratitude ran more than skin deep. For her saying 'thank you' was insufficient while to me it was really just enough to make me happy. "Just tell me what you want and I'll see that it's done."

_It's not charity, Katana._ Right then I was tempted to ask for someone to repair the kitchen roof but I held my tongue. No, I wanted to work with the repairmen I would hire for I had a whole plan of redesign and reconstruction/restoration of the estate. Call me anal and obsessed but the Uchiha estate was something of a personal pride, joy and responsibility. It was the only thing in Konoha that was _mine_.

What could she do? My brow furrowed in thought. "I'm growing irises in the garden. They need to be watered every evening at sundown. And, um, I have a fox named Reynard that lives on the estate. I usually leave him some meat on the front porch in the morning." Shrug. "If someone could see to those things, I'd appreciate it."

Hinata, believe it or not, had procured a small notepad from a pocket and had written these things down. She glanced up when I didn't go on. "That's all that needs to be seen to daily. Everything else can wait until I come back home."

She nodded and tucked it away, the strain from before having smoothed out considerably. "A fox?" she asked.

I shrugged again. "He's not my pet or anything. I don't know what he's doing there, honestly. I feed him to keep him away from my food and he seems particularly fond of me for some reason."

She chuckled. "Why wouldn't he be? _Kitsune_ are mischievous creatures. I've heard some spirits who take animal forms are fond of being in the presence of young girls."

There was a thought. "Hn. I _knew_ those grins of his were perverted!" We laughed. "Thanks for your visit. I know your time is valuable."

Hinata stood up, arranging the folds of her clothes comfortably around her being. "It was my pleasure. Tomoe will probably be by every day she's not training or on a mission. She's a very dedicated young woman."

Yeah. Dedicated to kicking my ass and braiding my hair, with or without my permission. For a girl who used to fantasize about shutting down my chakra points and hanging me up by my feet when she wasn't daydreaming about Hayabusa Shinji, she's come a long way. Honestly I wouldn't know what I'd do without her around to remind me I was a girl.

"Yes." I was able to smile for real this time. We exchanged bows - hers full and mine just a head bob - before she left, leaving me alone once again. These ins and outs of people were starting to tire me out a bit… though I still wanted to see Takashi before the day was over. He'd been here for only a second, yet it was enough for me to see that he was very worried about me.

It's still so strange, having so many people care about me. I hadn't tried intentionally to draw people to me. Part of it was because I was the daughter of Uchiha Sasuke. I wasn't proud enough to deny that. But it wasn't all of it, not on the end of my teammates. Takashi barely knew who the Uchiha _were_… and he wouldn't even have bothered to know who I was hadn't my skills so closely rivaled his own. Ichigo knew who the Uchiha were because of his parents but he shirked by the awful reputations of my two family members and let himself see _me_ for who _I_ was. What _I_ could do.

Heh. We haven't even been teammates for that long and already I deeply cared about those two morons. In a way I always had… even remotely in Takashi's case because I saw his defensive reflexes as his way of protecting himself. And that was before we became a team. From what he was protecting against, I didn't know. I was sure we'd all find out soon enough.

A grunt of infuriation escaped me. _If only I could get out of this damn hospital!_ Team 7 couldn't do any missions until I was better and knowing that I was the one restricting our progress… It pissed me off. Oh well. Kakashi would make sure I made up for it. And guessing from his near impossible first test with the bells, it was going to be tough, grueling and would probably wind up making me want to wring his neck off his shoulders.

I couldn't wait.


	18. Trouble Past and Trouble to Come

_A/N: Several characters are "out of it" in this chapter, just to warn you. And please don't give me crap about Naruto being out of character. He's inebriated and that tends to bring out a side to a person you normally wouldn't see._

_A Week Later_

The underground sanctuary of the clan of Anzen no Chi Mori was an intricate labyrinth of tunnels and secret rooms. It stretched a full two leagues underground, twisting and twining its way though the earth. It branched off into many caverns and naturally occurring underground waterfalls and rivers. Most if not all light was artificial although there were plenty of open-air regions sunlight fell in freely (masked from aboveground of course by genjutsu seals, rendering such areas invisible to the naked eye). These places were only used for two purposes: growing food and training. If you wanted to go outside for any other reason, you used the trees.

The inhabitants lived in close quarters with one another almost to the point of living in each other's pocket. However this did not pose much of a problem. There were plenty of places an individual could seek out solitude and, if so inclined, live out a quasi-hermit-like existence. Needless to say anyone wanting his or her own space got it. Oftentimes those obsessed with their privacy were scarcely ever seen. But nobody ever truly stayed away for long. After all, human beings were just like any gregarious creature. For those who dwelt there, it was home. It was their world.

The Konoha ninja were awestruck by all that they were allowed to see. At first Akira was reluctant to show the underground blue prints until Neji very calmly took him aside for a private chat. Nobody was sure what the man said to the other to get him to cooperate. However it was evident by the way the tension in the clan leader eased when they returned the Hyuuga had succeeded in reassuring him. Yuki relaxed too when he saw that his older brother was no longer ill at ease. This seemed to spread along the chain of command over the next several days until the wary yet polite looks they were getting from ninja and civilian alike became genuinely warm and less suspicious.

"What the hell did you say to him?" Naruto asked the other man in wonder.

Neji just shook his head with a small, complex smile. "I gave him leverage."

"Leverage?"

The bar was mostly empty save for the staff and two men playing pool in the back. The two Konoha visitors were the only other patrons there. Both were winding down after returning from an intensive examination of the valley's aboveground defenses. It seemed for tonight at least the Sound were not an immediate threat to these sensitive areas. To celebrate this minor motion of relief, Akira had allowed Neji and Naruto to explore Anzen. They wound up at this bar.

The Hyuuga sat back in his chair, lifting both front legs off the floor, the action mildly appealing to two women speaking quietly at the other end of the small bar. He caught their eyes and gave them a quick, friendly grin. They both blushed and looked away, hands over their mouths. Naruto rolled his eyes, nursing his drink, wishing he could dive into it. Since they were alone Neji liked to flirt with whatever female thing that moved. It was simply an act - and served its purpose - and that was to irritate his comrade. Nobody else had the privilege to see this shocking side of the normally reserved, serious-minded man. Not even Lee knew this about him… lucky bastard.

_He acts like this only in front of me because he knows that nobody would believe me if I said anything._

"What leverage?" Naruto repeated insistently. "C'mon, spit it out… and don't actually _spit_ because it's not funny two times in a row." He bristled at the other's evil chuckle. "I hate that I know this side of you," he added in a sullen grumble.

Neji remained unruffled. "Do you imagine I enjoy all the sides of _you_ you force me to endure?" The man shot him a glower fit to burn his shadow into the wall. "Leverage," he replied at last, "against us. Any one of us betrays Anzen's trust, we get to die."

"Is that all?" Naruto said dryly with withering contempt.

"It _is_ just as simple as that, Naruto."

"Huh. Wait wait wait. We're supposed to be acting as a team!" Naruto stood up, his chair pushing back with a faint scrape against the stone floor. He pointed an accusing finger at Neji. "I don't care if you _are_ the captain, you don't make decisions just like that!"

"_Sugoi_. I just did." Neji crossed his arms and regarded him nonchalantly. "Naruto… how long have you known me? How long have I known you? Think about it."

Naruto's fierce expression subsided and he slowly sank back down in the chair, reaching for his drink again. He smiled and shook his head. Yeah he understood perfectly. Neji would not barter their lives so vicariously if he didn't have confidence in his teammates. They were good, loyal people dedicated to protecting and serving others with their skills. He trusted them… had for years now. Naruto just loved giving him a hard time because… well he was Neji and it was just fun to piss him off. The feelings were mutual on all fronts here.

"Where is everyone?"

Stretching until something popped, Neji sat his chair back properly. "Lee is out on a underground perimeter check with that Yuki kid. Tenten is doing a weapons tally and studying the escape routes. And Ino is ingratiating herself with the good folk." Tightening his lips to prevent a yawn, he rubbed at an aching muscle in his neck with two fingers. "Let's hope she doesn't fall in love with the local fauna this time."

Naruto had no such qualms about showing his weariness, yawning until his jaw cracked. "Na Neji, it wasn't her fault last time. The prick wouldn't stop making passes at her and well, you know Ino, she's always been a sucker for a pretty face." He finished his sake and waved at a passing waitress to get her attention. "Ano sa!"

"Yes?" she asked, stopping. Any woman flagged down by Naruto was eager to come in for a landing. "More sake?"

"Nah, I've had enough. Thanks. But I'd like to know who made that ramen I just ate."

Her lower lip stuck out somewhat. She appeared depressed. "You didn't like it?"

"No! I mean, argh, I loved it! I just want to thank the cook."

Her countenance changed then and she smiled, her pleasure making her cheeks turn pink. "Oh… um wow, this is a first." She hid the dishtowel she'd been carrying behind her back, twisting the material between her fingers. "I made it," she murmured shyly.

Hearing this, Naruto smiled wide and true, nearly knocking the poor woman dead with it. Neji shook his head in utter disbelief, watching the man with sunshine hair chatter at the woman who looked like she was dying of sheer bliss. The baka had this incredible power over women and he didn't even know it. He barely needed to crook his finger and they would come running. And he wondered why after so long Sakura went to bed with him… She finally saw what was chasing her. Unfortunately the moron thought he did something immoral and let her drift away. Damn fool.

He gave himself a mental shrug. None of that was important now. Ancient history had no place on the mission. _Damn you Naruto, you make me _think_ which is annoying because that's the one thing _you_ never do!_ He decided he'd had perhaps too much sake and called it a night. Leaving his subordinate to chat with the woman, he returned to his quarters. Unlike most men of his profession and persuasion, he was glad he was married. At least he didn't have to worry about where one part of his future was going.

* * *

Ironically somewhere else in Anzen no Chi Mori, the future was exactly what someone else was worrying about. Or rather more imminently the present and that wasn't looking too attractive either. Some people had the worst luck. Akira's industrious civilian older sister, Karou, made sure every guest/ally had his or her private quarters on the same wing. In Sasuke's case, he was sequestered on a different level, a bit out of the ways from the others but not so far as not to be found easily. Meant to be temporary, it was starting to look more like he just might wind living here for much longer than he had planned. 

But obligations were obligations. He owed these people his life and incidentally, Katana's life. Most missing nin lived forever on their wits, unable to lay their hats in any one village for too long before inevitability drove them on the run again. Not here. Even knowing what he was when they'd taken him in they hadn't cared. If a person proved trustworthy and pledged service and obedience to Anzen no Chi Mori's laws, anything that he or she had done in the past outside of the valley was null and void. If you wanted redemption for your sins or wanted to belong somewhere again, this valley was the place to be. The Sound had been like that too. Doubtless it was the go-to place for power, if that was all you wanted. Only the Sound wasn't somewhere you wanted to live for the rest of your life… not when on any given day Orochimaru could decide you were of no use to him anymore. Then you became expendable.

In Anzen no Chi Mori, seeking power was okay, so long as it was done constructively and realistically. Kill his brother in revenge for his clan? Fine, notwithstanding, if he wanted help, he was to seek it knowing the consequences of what certain actions would produce. Their seal expert placed a counter curse on his Cursed Seal after he tentatively looked into what could be done about it. It couldn't stop the thing from emerging of course nor was it able to make it "go away." What it did was it triggered a containment seal (different from the one Kakashi had made) that used his chakra (as opposed to his will) as fuel to stop it from going to Level 2. It acted independently of its own accord. When activated it caused the curse to recede because the seal "blocked" every direction except the source (his neck). It hurt like white-hot hell every time.

"So what would it take to get rid of this thing?" he'd asked the one who'd placed the seal on him. "Would it even be possible?"

"Hmm… It's hard to say. Probably Orochimaru's death," had been the sage reply. "At the very least you would be free from his influence."

So secretly, for the first time, he and Naruto kind of had the same goal: kill that snake bastard for good. His motivation for offing the man was purely to make sure that he would in no way interfere with his new goals. Orochimaru had served his purpose for when Sasuke needed what the man had to offer. None of it mattered anymore. His revenge, the desire for power, not caring about his own life… It was all over with. Even now he still couldn't believe it. But so long as it was real, his new ambitions were squared and his vision was no longer tunneled. There were other things now… things in hindsight he never would have dreamed of living to see, to do. It wasn't what he had envisioned… though he hadn't envisioned anything at all, really.

_"Gee, Papa, you're not very creative are you?"_

_No, I'm not, _he replied quietly_. On the other hand… I'm learning. _

Sasuke opened his eyes from where he was seated on a large rock before a waterfall. It was one of those naturally occurring rapids, pooling into an underground cavern that led into the depths of Kami knew where. This small spot was a virtually unknown haven. One could meditate in peace and not have to tune his senses beyond the dull roar of the rushing water. The sound was only amplified by the large chamber walls and the magnitude of the waterfall itself. A thick mist hung in the air, making the surrounding rocks in the resultant lake wet and slippery. A faint smile ghosted across his lips. His daughter would have fallen in love with it. Perhaps one day, if things turned out right, he'd bring her here. Thinking of her again cultivated the familiar parental seed of urgency in his gut. Perpetual restlessness seemed a contumacious element in his life. Meditation at least was physically relaxing.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open. He stood up and immediately ducked into the narrow crevice behind the falling water. In the tight space, Sasuke struggled as he shrugged back into his shirt, ignoring the way the black fabric clung to his damp skin. Pressing his back against the curvature of cold stone, he peered around the veil of water. Sensing movement from behind and below, Sasuke activated the Sharingan and watched the outside intently.

He didn't have long to wait.

Two people appeared on the rock around the lazily flowing water at the other side of the cavern. It was difficult to make out who they were from this distance - straining his senses didn't help in the least. Given their signatures, they weren't very powerful ninja. Chuunin level near as he could make out - nobody he wouldn't be able to handle if he had to.

They were circling in closer.

_This is strange. They're moving carefully, in strategic patterns, almost exploratory. _Sasuke drew in his breath quietly, forcing himself to take shallow breaths. One of them was now on the rock he'd recently vacated. Keeping his chakra under the tightest of shields, the Uchiha dared sneak a peek.

The man was in profile and with the added nuisance of the thick mist he wasn't able to make out much detail. Visibility cleared for approximately two seconds, enough for Sasuke to see what he was wearing. Black and white skins on the arms and leg, lavender sash with the ridiculous bow in the back and... yes… the musical note etched on the forehead protector.

_No, this is definitely not good._

How the hell had they gotten in here? Must have been something, some entrance or exit that was missed. No never mind. Wasn't important. They were the invaders, the enemy. He narrowed his eyes in barely suppressed delectation. _This is what he lived for. _Moving in dead silence Sasuke appeared behind the Sound nin.

The man never knew what hit him. The last thing he heard in life was the sound of steel slicing through the flesh of his neck. Dots and spatters of red-hot blood spilled across the rock as the now dead man collapsed. Sasuke watched the nin crumple impassively, lowering his kobun (the twin to the one he'd given his daughter), crimson gleaming in the weak half light streaming from above.

Feeling the enemy's partner creeping in, Sasuke retreated back into the thick mist. The other Sound nin saw his comrade's lifeless body on the rock and froze, eyes wide in stricken horror. Using the man's paralysis to his advantage, the former Konoha ninja moved like a shadow in the rain. He caught his enemy up by the throat and lifted him clear off his feet, using his height advantageously. With a quick hard twist, he broke the man's neck and released him. The body slid off the rock into the water. Sasuke kicked the other body after it. Two dull splashes echoed off the surrounding cavern walls. _What a miserable waste of human potential_. Not taking any chances, he did a perimeter check of the locale just in case he had to ferret out more vermin. He didn't find anyone else. Apparently these two had enterprised in here alone.

_Where you see two there are twenty you don't see._

Feeling around his pockets, he found his radio transmitter and hooked it in his ear. He'd almost forgotten he'd had the damn thing! It was a closed channel. Only Akira and Yuki could receive his broadcasts.

"Yeah?" came the response to his signal.

"Uchiha. I've got a thirty-seven."

"A thirty-seven? How… where?"

"C-19, I think."

"C-19? Oh right the uncharted regions. Gotcha." There was a long pause. Static. "Do you require assistance?"

"No. It's been taken care of."

"Great. Do a line of demarcation?"

"Yuki." He stated the young man's name in matter-of-fact tones. _What kind of ninja do you take me for?_

"Okay. Good. Shit. _Shit_. Akira ain't going to like this. It's impossible, how could they have gotten through? Uh. He's gonna kill me, I know it, I just know…"

"_Yuki_."

"Uh, yeah, what?"

"Cool it."

"Oh." The kid sounded somewhat flustered. He was too young to be saddled with the responsibilities of a second in command. "Sorry sir, I…"

Sigh. "Heishi-_san_, you outrank me." He emphasized the honorific.

"Uh, right." There was the sound of daft laughter and then someone exhaling deeply. "I'll inform Akira immediately. You get your ass back here."

"Yes." Sasuke switched off and cursed under his breath. Never could get a damn break.

* * *

Naruto spoke to the pretty cook for ten more minutes before he decided to it was time to bug out. Once again praising the bouquet of his sake and the obviously expert cooking skills of the blushing woman, he left behind his good thoughts for the night. If he got another chance, he'd visit this tiny diner again before the return journey. Any place that made ramen this good deserved a second round. Wasn't enough to replace Ichiraku's number one spot on his favored restaurant list; it gave it a run for its money especially with a pretty thing like that running it. 

_Crap, what was her name again? All that time talking to her and I didn't get her name._ Shoot, how was he ever going to relinquish his singleton status if he couldn't remember a simple thing like a woman's name? And did it really matter at this point? Naruto shrugged, deciding not to care. Hesitant as he was to call himself such, he liked to think of himself as already committed. In his heart and in his mind he had given everything he could offer a woman away a long time ago.

_"Naruto."_

_Naruto opened his eyes and threw up his hands from the temple position. He was annoyed and disgusted. "What now? Ero-Sennin, how am I going to complete this jutsu if you keep interrupting me?"_

_From his perch on a rock, Jiraiya nodded over the youth's shoulder. Puzzled Naruto turned around and looked. She was standing at the edge of the training area, wearing a bright yellow dress. Immediately, by reflex, he brightened. "Na Sakura-chan!" he piped, the familiar spark of giddiness he felt in her presence lighting his face. Shooting his sensei an apologetic grin, he went over to her quickly. It was unusual for her to come to him while he was training. His bright grin faltered when he saw the expression on her face. Sakura looked withdrawn, arms folded. Her fingers absently went up and down her arms involuntarily. Lifting her chin when he approached, she forced a smile. "Hi Naruto. Um, am I interrupting?"_

_Naruto shook his head defiantly. "No way! You know I always have time for you, Sakura-chan!" When her face still didn't change, he sobered. "What's wrong?" he inquired more softly._

_Sakura glanced at the distant figure of Jiraiya and then jerked her head, indicating he follow her. Truly perplexed, he complied, wondering what on earth was going on. She led him to the furthest end of the training area before stopping to face him once again._

_"Naruto," she began, her voice shaking. "Remember the time you told me you'd stay by my side no matter what happened? No matter what it was, you'd be there for me?"_

_"Of course!" Feeling a tingle of dread, Naruto pinioned her with a demanding glare. "Sakura-chan, what is it? Are you in trouble?" He panicked when she started to sniffle and tears sparkled in her eyes. _

_"Naruto." Her voice was thick with tears. Sakura paused meaningfully, gathering her courage. Then she looked him in the eye, pleading, sadly defiant, utterly defeated. "I'm pregnant."_

From the look on her face that fateful morning thirteen years ago, Naruto had seen a woman cornered and trapped. All of Sakura's tears of self-recrimination did nothing to change that fact. All of Naruto's enraged kicks and punches at a helpless piece of lumber did was make splinters and kindling. It did nothing to take back that night and it did nothing to undo the tiny blameless life in Sakura's body.

Utterly apathetic, Naruto paused outside of the guestroom. Rested his forehead against the oak door, he leaned forward, dull eyes drifting shut. Kami, that he would think about this crap now. Of the glory he had garnered over the years, _this_ was the one he struggled against riptides for and for it he _still_ wound up getting sucked under the treacherous waves. Never strong enough, never good enough, never enough. He'd done everything and more for her - for _both_ of them - but it changed nothing.

_"She already knows what she wants… you just need to step up." _Sigh. _Easier said than done, Tsunade-baachan._

"You going to stand there all night?"

Naruto smirked, without moving. _Guy sure has the greatest timing_. He finally opened his heavy lids and lifted his head with a tired sheepish grin. "Think I will."

Wolf stood in the hall, the white shape of his mask seeming to possess a luminescence of its own in the dim glowworm light of the corridor. It appeared he had been passing through here toward the opposite direction. Gradually he spoke again. "Looks like the sake won."

"Heh." Naruto managed a tortured grin. "Been worse. Least 'm not lyin' in some shit hole alley."

He flipped over lazily, back scraping against the door's rough surface. Sliding down, his backside encountered the floor, giving him a hard, physical jolt. His cumbrous head bobbed once and he started chuckling inanely.

The mask was driven to motion when he saw the how disoriented the other really was. He came over and knelt by his side. "You're drunk," he stated.

"Eh heh, no way, really," Naruto shot back sarcastically, nastily. "So glad you're here t'tell me these things."

"Here." The man reached around him and bodily tugged him to his feet. Naruto swayed and slumped, nearly dragging the other down with his weight. He opened the door to the room and aided the unsteady ninja to his bed, letting him fall down on it when Naruto clumsily pushed him away. He didn't need be tucked in, damn it he was a grown man! He tried to glare at the white shape but the expression came out half-assed, appearing more like he was about to cry. The wolf looked down on him from what felt like thousands of miles away. It seemed forever in a day before the man spoke again. "What happened to you?"

"Mm, what?" Naruto's head hung again. Stupid head. Silence answered. "Oh. Yeah. Jus' tryin' to forget… 'bout stuff." Shrug. "Girl back home," he confessed at length in a reluctant mumble.

"Aa."

At the response, Naruto forced open one drowsy lid. "You ever been in love?"

"Once." Naruto waited for him to continue but he seemed disinclined to.

Spent nod. "I've loved her for um, uh," his dulled memory struggled for the number before giving up, "forever. But," he appeared to wither, "she doesn't want _me_, she's _never_ wanted me. She wants _him_." He spat out 'him' viciously. Generally his woes never bothered Naruto. The sake depressing his system wasn't strong enough to ward off the negativity this time. A buried animosity so often felt yet rarely acknowledged simmered beneath the surface. The demon was positively _wallowing_ in this, allowing him to dive deeper and deeper into it without reserve.

"And him would be…?" prompted his companion.

"Our teammate… former teammate. Never says it but I _know_." He emphasized, leaning forward a little, sky blue eyes shining with the haze of alcohol and sadness. His shoulder set sagged. "Worst part is I can't hate 'im for it."

"Why?" The blonde man wondered why he picked up the inflection of opprobrium in the wolf's voice. It wasn't like this sensitive talk had anything to do with him. He was just a willing ear for a rambling drunk.

Still… Naruto flopped back heavily on the bed, arms out at his sides and over the edges. "'Cause…" he murmured, losing consciousness, "he's Sasuke… it's the only way… he could… kill me." Unable to continue, he drifted, slipping away hungrily into sweet oblivion. Mind in void, body at peace. Gradually his breathing deepened and the fists of his hands loosened.

For a long time it seemed the other man stood there. Eventually he reached up and pulled the mask off, for the first time gazing down at Naruto without a barrier separating them. His face was expressionless. Sinking at level with the bed, he watched the other man's slumbering face. Only in sleep Naruto remained frozen, unchanged by the cruel years. Perhaps there could the undeservedly tormented man find respite from his regrets. _I caused a lot of this. _Sasuke's head hung, feeling the weight of the blame settling around him. Fool had he been to think he could take and leave so easily. _Not with you, dobe,_ he thought, _not if you had anything to do with it, huh? _Despite himself, he grabbed a handful of Naruto's sun-kissed spikes and gave them a gentle, affectionate shake before letting go. Then standing, he left his friend to his dreams.

It was the last tranquil night Anzen no Chi Mori ever saw.

* * *

"Tell me again why this has to be done." 

"It's hospital policy, sweetie."

"But it's so unnecessary. Nothing is wrong with my legs." I tried to stand only to have Sakura grasp me by the shoulders and force me to sit back down again. Muttering, I crossed my arms and sat hard against the backrest of the wheelchair. It squeaked. The older woman smiled genially at the scowl on my face, licitly amused at my behavior. I supposed I was being a bit unreasonable and childish. Still I had been sitting on my ass for nearly an entire _week_ and my entire body itched with restless energy begging to be expounded. A wheelchair was no kind of improvement.

Unless… Oh this was too good to resist. My scowl transformed in an evil grin. Sakura's own dropped instantly to foreboding and before she was able to get a good grip on the chair, I'd seized the wheels and was rolling down the rest of the mostly clear hallway toward the lobby. With an inner thrill I heard her curse aloud behind me, shouting at me to stop.

Coasting by a waiting figure in the lobby, I called out, "Hi Kakashi-sensei!"

He didn't look up from his book but his hand came up in acknowledgment.

"Katana! The doors!" Sakura shouted frantically behind me.

I looked ahead and realized with certain dread my antics were about to lead me in for a whole new kind of pain. Bystanders leapt out of the way, children watching covered their faces and nurses cried out. Suddenly the wheelchair stopped abruptly, making me lurch forward. Someone caught me before I was thrown to the floor. When I looked up, it was into the smiling face of my boyfriend. Wide-eyed I looked behind me and saw Takashi grasping the wheelchair handles, looking annoyed and relieved at the same time. Only he could manage that.

Looking back up at Ichigo, I offered a dopey return smile. "Oi you."

"Oi yourself," he replied, gently setting me back down with Takashi's help. Ichigo grasped me under my legs while Takashi reached behind to hook me under the arms. They were both manhandling me and if the effects of those painkillers Sakura had given weren't so potent, I'd have been blushing fiercely. The tug under my arms pulled at my sore ribs making me vocalize my discomfort. Ichigo shot Takashi a poisonous look.

"Sorry," Hayabusa muttered with some effort, like apologizing was beneath him.

"Well, you could be a _little_ gentler."

Takashi only glared but he didn't argue back. Good, I wasn't in the mood for one of their stupid pissing contests. I slumped. My brain felt fuzzy and all I wanted to do was get the hell out of there. Kakashi took over control of the wheelchair from Takashi, pointedly nudging the boy aside.

"All right you two, I don't want anymore arguments until we get Katana home as safely as possible," he told them in a deadly serious tone no one believed for a second. "After that you are free to maul each other to your heart's content." With supervision of course, Kakashi kept a staunch eye on these two when things got heated. Emotional rivalries were explosive and unpredictable, Kakashi explained to my unasked query. They needed third party intervention sometimes. "Intervention my foot. Just put them in strait jackets and be done with it," I remarked, causing my sensei to chuckle.

Done with his reprimand of the day, Kakashi looked round at me and eyed me carefully, studying my face closely. "Hn." Next he looked up at Sakura who was approaching from behind him. She grinned. Sakura was fond of her old sensei and even though they were peer equals now, force of habit sometimes made her slightly deferential. Only slightly though.

"Did you prescribe her anything?" he asked.

_Uh-oh._

Puzzled, Sakura nodded and reached into her uniform. She handed over the folded copy of a prescription form to Kakashi. He perused it. "How many pills did you take?" he asked me severely after a minute of studying the paper. Oh please kill me.

"…Four," I admitted reluctantly.

Sakura exhaled and shook her head. "Katana… Two is the maximum dosage. I thought I explained this very carefully to you."

Crestfallen, I lowered my head. Busted. "I know… but, heh, they make me feel reeeally good."

The older woman took back the paper from my sensei and pulled out a pen. "I didn't think you'd be this foolish," she said while writing on it. To Kakashi she put, "This is a new prescription. It won't be as effective but it's not addictive." To my pouty face she said sternly, jade eyes flashing. "Overdosing just because the pills make you feel good will be the end of you. I don't want your ignoble death on my conscience." She put the new prescription in my hand and stalked off.

Rightfully rebuked, I nodded mutely, chastened beyond words. Yeah, I'd messed up big time. She would forgive me eventually. Just being a loving mother and a dutiful doctor was all. Still I felt bad for upsetting her. Ichigo absently caressed the side of my face, not outwardly agreeing with his mother yet supporting me just the same. _Even when I'm wrong he's on my side. _Takashi stole a loose strand of my bound hair and gave it a light tug. I gave him a token smile. That bastard wasn't fooling _me_. From the aversion of his eyes, it clinched it.

After my release papers were filled out, I was a free woman again. When we finally exited the hospital nobody objected to my standing up and kicking the wheelchair away with obvious flourish. Ichigo laughed, Takashi smirked and Kakashi simply shook his head.

Enjoying myself, I smiled and stretched out my hands to the sky. The sun warmed my palms and went through my whole body. Nobody kept _this_ bird still caged. The fresh air never smelled so good.

* * *

In the end I couldn't talk him out of it. Ichigo was going to stay with me and help me recover whether I liked it or not. Takashi incidentally made it worse, commenting offhandedly he'd always wanted to see the Uchiha estate and casually inferred he'd be staying with me too. For all my squawks of protest and stubborn insistence I was not a baby and could they please respect my ability to get about on my own, they fell on deaf ears. They would not be dissuaded. 

Kakashi-sensei was not one to throw up his hands in disgust. But he did go to the Hokage and requested their taking care of me be made into an official mission (as low in rank as it was, it'd ensure we all got paid). Thankfully _he_ did not also volunteer to stay too, somewhat mitigating my intense chagrin at having my privacy invaded so wholly. And by _boys_ nonetheless! Ugh! I was completely convinced both of them, despite good intentions to the contrary, would annoy me and be more of a hindrance than any kind of good help. Visions of my neat estate being taken over by clutter and noise filled my mind with dread_. Just when I'd started to think I could like being with these guys, _I thought dismayingly. _Thanks a lot._

"It'll only be for a little while," my boyfriend attempted poorly to reassure me. We were on our way to my home. "We promise not to walk in on you when you're, heh, indecent." A naughty wink and a hentai smile told me it would be a moment he'd enjoy remembering.

As if I cared if he saw me naked! I kind of figured since I'd had my hand down his pants once, he was entitled to something in return, if only by accident. It was unspoken that we'd be each other's firsts anyway. Ichigo's intense possessiveness of me was testament to that wordless conviction.

"We also promise to stay out of your fridge." Takashi said this looking around me straight at Ichigo. "Right, Uzumaki? We have to ask_ permission_."

"Shut the hell up Hayabusa." Ichigo's fists were down his pockets and his shoulders were hunched.

Interested I favored Takashi curiously. He was only too glad to explain, however guardedly.

"I let him visit my clan's estate the other day," he muttered. "For some reason he thought that was his cue to invade our refrigerator."

Shocked I whipped around on the blonde. "Ichigo!"

"Liar!" Ichigo exploded, red-faced. "Your sister said I could help myself!"

"Midori is seven years old," Takashi argued tolerably. "She knows she's not allowed to just offer people our food at her own volition. So unless you plan on calling my sister a liar, I suggest you just own up."

"Huh. Maybe she _is_ lying," he grumbled under his breath.

The redhead exhaled and shook his head at the still fuming boy. "Forget it. It's no longer pertinent."

Shrug. "Fine. _I'm_ not the one who brought it up, _teme_." I poked him. He snorted and looked away. Takashi leered at him until I poked him too. Then he just harrumphed and preoccupied himself with the clouds overhead.

"You two are such killjoys," I muttered. Silently I reached for their hands. Neither resisted even though neither seemed to notice either. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Ichigo's expression soften and the stiffness in his body ease. A soft, barely perceptible smile stretched across Takashi's lips as he relaxed as well.

The rest of the way home was quiet and nobody said much of anything. But the point was it was quiet and that's all I cared about.

* * *

Kakashi watched his team from his perch on a shrine arch. He noted with some interest on how a simple touch from the girl got the two boys to settle down. In the subtle they were bonding fast and hard despite the extremes in their interactions. It gladdened him, too, to see Katana extending casual affection to both boys and Ichigo not going into a wild frenzy every time Takashi so much as stood near her. It was still early yet and he wasn't optimistic enough to believe this actually _meant_ anything. However he wasn't cynical enough to give up hope that it did. 


	19. Storms Brew and Tides Break

"… Can you hear me?"

A ninja crouched in the deep moonlit shadows of a thick crown of leaves reached to touch his ear-piece. "…Yeah."

"The two point men were found."

"And?"

"They're dead." The voice was male, deep and full of malice. It drew an involuntarily shiver from him. "They were discovered down river outside of the cavern they were ordered to secure."

"Not good. I'll need to inform Orochimaru." He moved along the branch when the voice on the other end spoke again. "We… also have another problem." He froze. "Do you remember anyone named Uchiha?"

There was a long pause. "What about him?" was the guarded reply.

"We have reason to believe he's alive."

The ninja remained silent and still. "You are absolutely certain of this." There was no question in his now steely voice.

"Yes. A week ago he was engaged by the Atokata while leading a team of Konoha ninja through a forest that separates Anzen from the lower east bank. He was reportedly wearing a mask."

"If he was wearing a mask, how did they know it was him?" He tried to ignore the flutter of concern he heard over hearing about Konoha. His master would need to know about this new development.

"The Atokata usually send one member trailing after their prey in the event of an unsuccessful ambush. According to them, he was witnessed removing the mask for a brief period of time. Fool."

The ninja sitting in the tree mulled this over carefully. "And how did you come by this information?"

"The Atokata have ties with many mercenary groups, including ours. They have a rather, heh, _nasty_ dislike for Hidden Villages. I would advise against asking for their assistance."

He wasn't going to. Thieves who lived in darkness and lived simply to steal material possessions were of no use to his master. It was from his common experience it was a waste buying out the loyalties of criminal organizations for they often demanded obscene amounts of currency for jobs they usually left unfinished. The last one that actually managed to succeed in screwing them over financially were hunted down and brought back to Orochimaru one by one for a personal execution by the snake himself. It probably should have disturbed him to watch his master take such joy in killing but he had long numbed himself to the Sennin's vicious methods of retribution.

"Anything else I should know?" he spoke after a thoughtful silence.

"The pass Uchiha led them through has been closed off. It's now under our control… Orochimaru's control." Low, menacing laugh. "It's safe to say there's no easy way out of the valley now... and no one to tell."

The ninja smirked and pushed his glasses up. "Hn. You continue to amaze me with your precision if not your lack of… sophistication." He'd seen how they 'worked' and it was not for the faint of heart.

"I'll take that as compliment… Kabuto-san." The 'san' was hissed with obvious mock-pleasure. The connection cut off abruptly.

Kabuto stood from his kneeling position and gazed up through the leaves at the starry heavens peeking through. So rare it was to see stars in this region, he absently noted. After tomorrow, it would never see them again.

Raising his arm he flicked two fingers. Several Sound ninja emerged from their midnight haunts, quietly regarding their captain, awaiting his orders. He made the clear-out and in silence they obeyed the gesture. "Uchiha Sasuke," he said aloud to himself, almost with a sense of finality. _I wonder what kind of person you are now. _With unfailing certainty he knew the answer would not be long in coming.

He followed his men into the waning shadows. Dawn would see it nonetheless.

* * *

"Okay boys," I began, stepping ahead of them through the door. "House rules. You follow them or I kill you. Are we clear?" They nodded appearing somewhat intimidated. Or I liked to think so; it was probably my imagination. Takashi closed the door and both of them studiously removed their sandals. 

Turning around to face them I settled my arms over my bosom to lessen the stretching of the muscles over sensitive areas. "All doors and windows are to be locked at sundown and no later," I began. "If it gets too hot, there are removable screens you can put in the windows. There are four bathrooms, two at each end of the estate. Currently only one toilet is working. However there is nothing wrong with the showers or bathtubs. Please bear in mind I have bills to pay so no soaks longer than ten minutes. Go home if you want to wallow in luxury."

Takashi narrowed his eyes. I'd looked at him what I said the last part.

"I'm still wrangling with the electric company over rates so until I can get something decent worked out, we have no electricity." I continued, blithely ignoring their looks of dismay. "So as you can see, I actually _have_ no fridge to raid. I _do_ have a cooler. Canned foods are in the cupboards. I _have_ can openers." I looked at Ichigo this time. He grinned wickedly.

"Anything else?" Takashi muttered witheringly.

"Yes. Touch my tomatoes and I'll circumcise you."

He had the grace to turn white and I could swear his thighs twitched nervously. My inner self chuckled evilly. I tried to think of anything else they needed to know. "Stay out of the garden and stay out of my room. Also… stay out of the room with the double doors."

"Why?" Ichigo asked, even though he'd been to the estate a million times, he never ventured further than where I'd lit the lanterns. I did this purposely and I'd meticulously made a point of it to lock any doors directly leading to that room. I had even nailed boards over the windows.

"Just stay out of there." I couldn't keep the frostiness from my tone.

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by an elbow to the gut from Takashi.

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. "None of the bedrooms have beds yet so you two will be sharing the living room. I'll leave it up to you guys to decide who gets the couch…unless you're willing to share." I grinned at their exclamations of disgust and repulsed glances they favored upon each other. Then Ichigo _had_ to say it.

"Ne, can I share _your_ bed?"

The paralyzing shock Takashi shot him I saved in memory to take out on more treasured occasions.

"Hmm," I mused, pretending to think about it. "I'd say yes but that wouldn't be fair to Takashi now would it?"

Bloodless and doubtlessly wondering what the hell he'd gotten himself into, Hayabusa stepped back. "I-I have a sleeping bag at home," he tried desperately to save face, though red as it was. "None of this is necess-…" I walked away, shaking my head and covering my mouth in attempt to stave off the giggles. Laughing was definitely going to be out of the question for a little while. My chest was positively killing me.

Ichigo just grinned at his speechless erstwhile teammate. He clapped him on the arm and followed me. "_Oi_ Katana, so, like, is there anything we _can_ do?"

"Sure," I replied cheerfully. "You can takes turns chasing Reynard around."

He laughed.

Takashi came in the living room behind us. His eyes automatically drew to his surroundings. This was the most furnished and decorative part of the home. A generous sepia vinyl couch took up most of the floor space, covered over by a large bright rainbow hand-woven blanket. Each was courtesy of a cheap furniture shop and my grandmother's belongings. On the right side of the wall was a bookcase, a joke since it had a grand total of ten books with two empty shelves to spare. To the right of it was bare wall, bedecked only by the pair of crossed ornamental katanas. Their black and red design made the dull faded wall a lot more than it really was. The opposite wall was a large front patio view window, decked out in baroque hand-made curtains (which I had labored over for the better part of the school year). In the middle of the room an old Oriental rug lay spread across the floorboards, a hand-me-down from Tomoe (I swear that girl trades away everything her parents give her for something else). The fireplace was clean and bore a black iron screen with a sort of twisting design, giving the already large brick structure a grandiose effect. A few logs were stacked up inside, awaiting the winter cold.

It really wasn't much of a living room. But it was mine.

"I'm going to regret asking this." Takashi lost interest in perusing the swords and looked at me. "Who is Reynard?"

"Her roommate." Ichigo replied for me. "Don't go near that bastard, he's freakin' scary." The blonde boy perched on the edge of an armchair and shuddered. "I swear when that thing growls he's all teeth and fur - " he did a mean imitation of 'teeth and fur' which wasn't half bad " - and, ugh, just _scary_."

Poor Takashi looked so off put, I elaborated for him. "Reynard is a fox."

"I was going to say."

The redhead approached the mantel and quietly scanned the series of framed photographs. It had grown from one picture to several and they were all artfully arranged. He took issue with the one on the end, pointing and frowning at the same time. I shrugged and offered a sheepish smirk. "I thought it was cute." Deciding to change the subject, I aimed for the kitchen, scratching the back of my neck. "You guys want drinks?" Handing out sustenance seemed appropriate and polite. That's what people usually did, right? _You don't need to put on a face for them, baka, _I thought going into the next room without awaiting their replies_. Ichigo doesn't try to ram food and drink into_ you _every time you come over._

Well, except for his mom. Sakura seemed to have it in her head I was always dying of starvation and she was my savior. She seemed to find my rebuffs amusing.

Oh well. I headed over to the cooler and knelt down to open it. I winced. Ouch. _Bending is officially banned.

* * *

_

Takashi waited until Katana had disappeared into the kitchen before focusing cat-like pupils onto his self-ordained nemesis. "All right, Uzumaki, explain to me why we're here."

Ichigo frowned and lounged the full length of the couch, legs over the end arm. "Kakashi-sensei didn't tell you?"

"No. He just said I needed to stay with Katana and you for a few days. What was he supposed to have told me?" Hayabusa approached the sofa, narrowing his eyes as he leaned over to glare at him. Ichigo merely grinned idiotically and folded his arms behind his head. "Heh."

"Tell me or there'll be a hole in the wall in the shape of you."

Unimpressed, Ichigo rolled his eyes. "It's a good thing you can back up your lame ass threats, Tak, 'cause you ain't scoring no points!" He instinctively ducked to avoid a bruised nose. Sitting up straighter, he composed. "The lowdown is," he checked the direction of the kitchen quickly before going on, "Kakashi wants us to help breach Katana's little wall thing."

" 'Little wall thing'?" Takashi echoed skeptically. "Now I _know_ this isn't verbatim."

"Shut up. Yes, 'little wall thing.' She's good at the teamwork thing, good at the brain thing but she still needs to work on her people thing."

"The word you're looking for, oh dunce, is 'skills.' " He shoved the other boy's legs to the side so he could sit down. Ichigo went with it and sat over a space, leaving one cushion between them. "So what about them? She seems socially apt enough to me. I don't see why having us live with her is going to do any good except annoy the hell out of her." Trust Takashi to think annoying someone was a good thing.

Ichigo held up an index finger, almost in Takashi's resplendent face. "Ah ha! See, ne, her problem is she's got a personal boundary of about thirty miles wider than the average human being. She's incredibly independent, which is good, but Kakashi's caught a whiff of something he doesn't like. Says it has to do with what caused her injury in the first place." Shrug. "So that's why he asked us to stay with her." He quirked a yellow eyebrow. "You gettin' my drift, bird boy?"

Takashi nodded slowly. He could perhaps see where their sensei was coming from, from a certain point of view. It didn't mean he liked it any better than he had at the start. It was bad enough he had to put up with two sisters invading his personal space all the time. "It still doesn't make the prospect at being at the beck and call of that woman any more appealing."

His rival grinned and shrugged. "Na, I don't mind. She's hot. I can overlook a few flaws in character."

Takashi resisted rolling his eyes this time. _Only this dork_. "Is there no time you _don't_ think with Ichigo Junior?"

"Nope. He runs the ship." He eyed the falcon trainer roguishly, a depraved gleam sparking in his emerald orbs.

Oddly enough none of this seemed to surprise his friend… _Well, not really friend,_ Takashi corrected mentally. _Irritating male companion suitable only for punching and generally degrading in every way imaginable._ "Hn. More balls than brains, eh?" A sly smirk stretched across his lips.

And that's how Katana found them upon reentrance. They were using the couch as a barrier, throwing their sandals at each other. Takashi finally managed to boink Ichigo on the forehead, causing the youth to topple backwards, dazed. He was rewarded with the upside down sight of his beloved laughing. Ichigo had the good grace to blush moronically and crack a remark that made her giggle even harder. All the while, Takashi watched the both of them, the small, soft smile on his face going unnoticed.

* * *

The next few days were quite the adjustment period. Quickly the boys learned a few things about me, mostly things belonging in the don'ts category. These don'ts were pretty simple. Don't make too much noise. Don't train in the house. Don't leave your dirty dishes on the table. Don't prop your feet up on anything. Their apparent 'favorite' don't was the garden in the backyard. I insisted its care was a solo activity. But my ability to get around in my garden was impaired by the fact that moving about on one's hands and knees with still healing ribs was too painful a task. More than once they found me breathing much too hard and a fine sheen of needle head sized beads of perspiration running down my sun-flushed skin. They reluctantly let it go on for a little while, if only because I got vicious and red-eyed (literally) when they offered to help. Though able to see they meant well, old habits died hard and I was naught to let them go so easily. 

One day it came to an abrupt end. Takashi was walking by the kitchen and saw me trying to reach for an object on a shelf above my head. My hand shook as I stretched my fingers out. The other balanced my weight as I leaned over the counter.

I heard him sigh. Without looking, I knew he was shaking his head and thinking: _Stupid girl._

"Ah!" I gasped as something inside me twisted. I collapsed onto the floor, clutching my aching sides, pale skin going a shade whiter than normal. Takashi was at my side so fast I didn't even see him move. He helped me sit up and even let me lean against him somewhat.

"You won't be satisfied until you've really hurt yourself." He pushed up part of my shirt and pealed back some of the bandages mummifying my torso. A fierce blush spread across my cheeks. He caught me with his strange yellow eyes. "You bruised them again."

I was silent.

Takashi sat more comfortably on the floor, back against the lower cabinets. For a while, he didn't say much else. I relaxed too, although somewhat nervous. It wasn't often we were in each other's company without a bright fireball around to distract us. Soon the silence became unbearable. "So, uh, where did your clan come from?" I went on uneasily as his gaze shifted to me. "I know you can't be from Konoha."

A small smile ghosted across the boy's upper lip. "And what makes you think we aren't?"

Shyly I shrugged. "Just a thought."

He closed his eyes, tilting his head back. He'd been weeding around the porch and sweeping it off. The floorboards needed a new coating of paint and with the weather cooperating, Ichigo decided to do it while he had the chance. It was a switch-off: one would train while the other did chores. They both would have preferred _I_ just sit around and read quietly, which of course I didn't. Rather stupidly I kept insisting on doing most "menial" tasks myself… putting me more and more into unnecessary throes of agony. I could see my stubbornness unintentionally wearing them down. No wonder the man looked whooped! I wondered how long I could keep it up until they finally took the hint. In my mind _they_ were imposing themselves upon _me_ so that negated any feelings of remorse on my part. Why should I? Uchihas weren't noted for their feelings of culpability anyway.

"You're right."

"Hmm?" I had been picking my nails, deliberating on how to break the awkward silence again. Thankfully it seemed I didn't need to do it this time. I looked up.

"What you said. My ancestors on my mother's side came overseas over two hundred years ago. It's branched off over the decades."

"What are they?"

Sigh. "_All_ of them?"

Whoa. "There's a lot?"

"_Hai_. Over thirty."

"_Sugoi_."

He grinned somewhat. No facial expression was ever complete or whole on this kid.

This was the most I'd ever learned from the sullen, quiet boy in a whole year. Talking about his family up until now had seemed taboo. "So do you all have red hair?" I pressed on.

"No. My mother and her five sisters have red hair and yellow eyes. But my father has brown hair and blue eyes. For some reason, red won out with all of children my aunts had." Shrug. "Genes are weird. My sisters and me have yellow eyes but Shinji has blue. I don't get it myself."

Me neither. I rested my chin on my palm, watching him closely. "So this country you're from, where is it?"

"Eire."

Uncharacteristically I gasped, startling him a bit. I absolutely lit up. "Really?" Nod. "Oh wow! Have you ever been there?"

"_Iie_. My eldest cousin has, you should probably ask her." He was turning red now, a color clashing adorably with his hair. Takashi wasn't used to this kind of attention, I could tell. While having been the number one rookie in our class, nobody had been interested in him personally. The thought struck me hard. Girls sighed and fluttered their eyes at him but they never approached and attempted to breach the social barrier. The wounded contentment softly glowing in him now was enough to break anyone's heart.

I was grinning, just pleased as punch. "I've always wanted to meet someone from there. I find its culture and history fascinating. Penned some of the best literature I've ever read."

He went a shade pinker. "Hn. I wouldn't know. The language and the old names have been lost to time." He sat back.

It didn't matter. Just knowing this little bit was enough, like a locked door had been opened and I'd been allowed a foot across the threshold. _Maybe he's not such a jerk. _I smiled again and finally took note of where we were. "Why are we still sitting on the floor?"

"I'm waiting for you to get up."

Oh. I felt silly and even laughed a little. I held my hand out and he took it and helped me stand.

"You know," I remarked when he let me go. "I've heard of assisted living and never quite figured out what it meant until now."

Takashi just shrugged. "You take your meds today?"

Crap! "Um…"

The falcon trainer exhaled tiresomely and suddenly reached out to rub the space between my eyebrows with an index finger. "That little wrinkle right there tells me you've been in pain all day." Tap.

"I can handle it."

"Why when you have painkillers?"

No answer.

"Katana," he began bluntly, "don't stick it out. Leave the macho bullshit to Ichigo and me." Takashi swiped the bottle from a middle shelf and tossed it to me. "I don't like seeing girls in pain." I caught them with one hand and blinked. Then he left, responding to a brisk call of his name from our teammate ("_Oi_, Hayabusa, get out here! I need you to look at this!").

Wonders never cease to amaze. I moved to fill a glass with water and set it on the counter to open my pills. My hands paused in their movement. The oddest feeling began to creep up within me. Something ominous, something far away distant as thunder yet slowly but surely drawing nearer. My stomach churned and I gazed out of the window over the sink. A minute later I tossed the pills back and set the glass in the sink. But I stayed there, just sort of absently rubbing my chest gingerly with my fingertips. From afar I could hear them outside semi-clearly. _Those idiots couldn't go a day without carping at each other even if you paid them not to, _I thought dully.

_"… what do you mean…looks like shit…"_

_"…talking about, baka…"_

_"There's too much…smooth over the sides…"_

_"…do you know."_

_"More than you. My oji-san is a professional… I know what a good job looks like…"_

_"THIS IS A GOOD JOB!"_

Something furry brushed against my leg. I looked down. It was the _kitsune_. He wasn't a day creature so to see him here in the kitchen in the middle of the afternoon was a bit of a surprise. Reynard peered up at me with the same air of superiority and mischief he always did. I knelt and fondled his velvety ears, trying to ease my unnamed anxiety. I didn't like this feeling at all. It reminded me of what I had felt seeing Itachi for the first time. When I just knew, _knew_ nothing good could ever come of the encounter, knew how much of an affect it would have and how devastating it would be.

I exhaled eyelids fluttering closed. Otosan would have understood this; when I would get a strange feeling he'd just nod like it was the most natural thing in the world. No matter if my premonition would pan out later or not. _Even if he would just ignore them. _But that was just Otosan. I wouldn't presume to tell him what to do. The most I could and did was tell him what I thought. A part of me hated it when he wouldn't heed my worries. A larger part was just happy he listened. That's all I ever wanted for him to do. I always sensed that listening and paying attention to someone else was a work in progress for him. Since most of the time I was his only company, he had to own up. Once I started to learn how to talk, shutting up was never an option.

* * *

_"Papa?"_

_"What?"_

_They were walking together in a bustling outdoor market. Sasuke usually preferred busy towns with lots of go through traffic - less chance of being recognized or noticed. Seven-year-old Katana tailed along, keeping her hand dutifully in his to keep from being separated._

_"Can we stay here tonight?"_

_"No."_

_"Mou." Her lip puckered in a pout. "I wanted to see the festival."_

_"What festival?"_

_"The one tonight." She blinked up at him surprised. "You don't know?"_

_"News to me."_

_"But… it's celebrated every year, Papa."_

_"… I don't celebrate festivals."_

_"Why not?"_

_He didn't reply. Katana tugged on his arm insistently. "Da-dee." She used that wheedling tone she knew he hated. She pressed her cheek against his arm. "Well, can't we just watch? I just want to see. Is that bad?" She watched him as he watched the people around him, perpetually restless, always waiting for something to happen._

_"No. It's not bad."_

_"So can we stay? Please?"_

_He finally looked down at her, eyebrow quirked. "You really want this."_

_She nodded._

_He seemed to think on it. Then he nodded. She hugged his waist. He just put an arm over her and patted her shoulder.

* * *

_

Reynard's wet nose brushing against my hand distracted me. Needing it, I hugged the irksome beast before standing to feed him a few slices of persimmon. Foxes loved those and he was no exception. Then I nudged him with my foot. "Okay, you greedy little bastard, beat it." The animal snapped on his sly grin and trotted out of there. He encountered Ichigo somewhere along the way for I heard him shout, "The hell, get out of here, I'm going to trip over you!" Seconds later he joined me in the kitchen. He saw me sitting at the table reading a book on _taijutsu_ and smiled immediately when our eyes met. I smiled back. Mine grew to a snicker when I saw the wood polish stains on his clothes. He looked down at himself, shrugged and raided my cooler.

Brake time. "_Oi_, cans are for with dinner. Get a glass of water if you're thirsty."

In exasperation Ichigo closed the empty fridge that contained the cooler. "How do you stand living like this?" he grumbled, grabbing another glass from the dish rack.

"Living like what?"

"This," he gestured with the hand holding the glass. "All these stupid rules and restrictions you put on yourself." He filled the glass.

"Is there something wrong with that?" I replied indignantly, wondering where he was going with this one.

"Yeah, actually, there is. You're thirteen, Katana." He drank his water. "Live a little."

Done in a gulp, consuming the water as he did all edibles and drinkables, he came over and peered over at the open book. "Gettin' anything useful out of that?"

"Not really."

"Why you readin' it then?"

"Because you won't let me do anything." Okay, that was pretty whiny of me, peevish. I was still smarting a bit and the strange feeling was making me feel out of sorts. They didn't make for a very good combination.

Ichigo made a face and responded by pulling my chair back. "Get up." I did, he sat down and in the same motion, grasped my arm and made me sit again, on his lap.

"You still have that crap on you." I tried to get up but he'd locked his arms. "C'mon, lemme go."

"No." He pulled me closer and reluctantly I shifted to make myself more comfortable. No point in arguing. Contentedly I lay in the valley of his embrace and let my muscles relax. Putting up all the fights in the world never convinced me to retreat far. I _wanted_ Ichigo to hold me, needed him to and I think he somehow knew that. The reassuring sound of his heart lulled me into a warm half doze. His breath stirred my hair as he spoke. "Don't push yourself," he murmured. "It's okay to take a step back and recover. You gotta do that sometimes."

"Hardly."

"Heh," he huffed. "Then you should meditate, start that book you told us about, spy on us while redhead and I train and copy our hand seals." Been there, done that. "… arrange flowers." I pulled back slightly to glare at him. "_Gomen_, that was girly." I accepted and lay back again. "Seriously. You'll be back to kicking our asses in no time. Maybe after this we'll get some decent missions."

Hopefully. I was getting tired of this C and D crap. I think even Kakashi-sensei was getting bored of them… hard to tell because he always _looked_ bored. We let a long comfortable silence pass. "So how's it going with your training?" I began again, voice quiet. "Get anywhere with that one jutsu you've been working on?"

It took a second to sink in. "Eh, kinda. Still having some problems but, ne, I'll work it out. Always do." I couldn't see but I know he winked. He answered my next question before I asked it. "Takashi's fixing the porch swing. At least he's trying to. Chain clean broke when I sat on it yesterday. It was rusted through." He started stroking my hair, running his fingers through it as he spoke, the action soothing and calming.

Oh well. Damn thing didn't look like it was going to last much longer anyway. Part of me itched to stop Takashi and attend to the problem later on my own time. But I was rather curious to see what he'd do with it so for once I let it go.

He was still stroking my hair, letting the strands fall through his fingers. Ichigo loved my hair. I sat up some, pulled my head away, straddled him a bit better and without preamble pressed my mouth over his. Ichigo was up for the task and pressed back enthusiastically. Encouraged I wrapped my arms around his neck for balance and just let my tongue take full liberties with his. It wasn't one of our frantic, intense post-spar make-out sessions I preferred but slow and unhurried was still very good. Eventually we paused for breath, forehead to forehead. I reached up and stroked the side of his face before laying my head on his shoulder. Impulsively I almost said it but the words died in me. I wasn't afraid of how'd he react -- and Kami knew he was dying to hear me say them. It was what I saw burning deep down in his eyes. It was the real thing and I didn't want to taint it with those words… not until I was sure of them, sure enough to look into those jade depths and not think twice about it.

"You all right?" he asked softly, sounding a tinge worried.

"Mm, just… well…" Would he understand? Stupid, of course he would. I sat up again, our faces two inches apart. "Have you ever had… weird feelings?"

"What do you mean?" he replied, searching my face.

"I mean, like you know something's going to happen but you don't know what it is or where it's going to come from."

"You're talking about prognostication."

My eyes opened up. "Yeah."

"Not… really." He frowned and watched me carefully. "Is it bad?"

"I don't know. I hope not." I felt helpless because I was doing a bad job explaining. "It's just a feeling," I finally confessed. Frustration robbed me of speaking much further. He pressed a kiss against my neck and I closed my eyes for a second. When he drew back, he tugged gently on a lock of my loose hair. "Put this up," he said with a sense of purpose. "Bird boy 'n' me have a request."

"Which is?" I swung my legs around and slid off my boyfriend's lap.

He took a deep breath, schooling his expression carefully. Obviously this was compromising his male pride otherwise he wouldn't compose himself in such a way. "Kakashi-sensei's taught us chakra control by climbing trees. While we excel at it, you seem to run out very easily. However when you use the same thing on water, you're perfect at it. So we were thinking…"

I knew what was coming. I snapped the hair tie in place and turned my head, ponytail swinging. "You want me to show you."

Self-effacing nod.

"Why not just ask Kakashi to teach you?"

"Well…" he scratched the back of his neck, standing, "while we've been holed up here, he got sent away on a day mission. We were hoping when he got back, we'd have something to show for our, uh, idleness."

Idleness my ass. I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. "What's in it for me?"

"Revenge?" he offered sheepishly, almost fearfully. "Just don't drown us." Pause. "Well, you can drown Takashi a little bit."

I grinned evilly.

"But _you_ can't do anything," he fired abruptly, effectively wiping the grin off me. "Just tell us what we're doing, right or wrong. " He glared at me, fierce about this as he had ever been about any fight. "Otherwise we'll tie you up."

"My, never knew you were into _that_, Ichigo." I demurred cunningly, lowering my lids just so.

"Into what?" A light went out.

I kept forgetting Ichigo didn't appreciate the subtleties of innuendo yet. I shouldn't either. Unfortunately it hadn't been my choice. "_Do demo ii._ Just tell me when."

"Today… after lunch of course." He gave me a pained expression, as if my nay say on the consumption of bodily nutrients would annihilate him on the spot. It was quite a sight, a sort of pathetic variation of the wounded puppy look. It made me want to kiss him and deck him at the same time. Story of my life.

I smirked. "_Usuratonkachi_."

"_Abazureon'na."_

"_Bakayaro_." Takashi had appeared at the threshold, leaning on the doorframe. "I heard someone talking about food." His eyes shifted between us. "Who's springing?"

"Not me," I instantly replied. "If I don't make this month's rent tomorrow, they'll be sending around that _baka_ land lord and I'm not ready to have another eviction threat slapped in my face." Or another shouting '_Get the hell off my property!' _match. I do admit shooting arrows into the ground around the hapless man's feet was fun. Even more fun was watching him run away screaming like a girl. Well, almost.

Ichigo groaned. "Why can't rich boy ever contribute?"

"Rich boy _also_ has financial obligations." Takashi replied bitterly. Naturally he wouldn't elaborate.

The squirrel sighed, probably reminding himself that the next time he mentioned food, to only do so with a full wallet. He started digging in his pants pocket. Moved by his sacrifice, I touched his wrist, stopping his rummaging. "I have a better idea." Both of them glanced at me, waiting. I walked over to the kitchen door and slid it open before facing them again. "You guys like fish?"

* * *

Kakashi was somewhat concerned when he returned late in the afternoon and dropped by the Uchiha estate to find his team missing. But he didn't panic -- he never panicked. He didn't see any signs of a struggle and the doors and windows had been locked from the outside. When he rounded back to the front, he found a note taped to the door. 

_At lake_

_--K, I, T_

To anyone else, it made no sense whatsoever. To the one whom it was addressed, he knew exactly what it meant. Languidly he strolled off in the direction of the indicated locale. Off handedly, he found it faintly droll, cute even, they'd arranged the first letters of their first names to spell a word. Might be an interesting one-word way of indicating to the team when he wanted all of their attentions at once. Save some time.

Exiting through the last arch out of the former compound (real estate agencies had already rammed down several signs into the dry dirt calling for land buyers), he saw the small red-brown fox that lurked around the place, the one that had inexplicably attached itself to the Uchiha girl. Its unexplained association with her plucked at Kakashi's curiosity. Right now it sat primly on its haunches, ears pricked, brown eyes watchful, tracking the silver haired Jounin as he passed by. The man paused and looked at the animal out of his one eye.

The fox grinned, rose to its feet and slipped away into the day shadows.

Without a second glance, Kakashi continued on. He tried to hide the fact he'd seen something truly alive and aware behind those limpid pools of liquid cinnamon. This _kitsune_ was not an ordinary fox. The way it held itself and the way it studied its surroundings told him there was more to it. But he chose not to worry about it for the time being. This 'Reynard' seemed to mean no harm.

It didn't take him long to find his students. They had yet to master the art of discretion; all he had to do was follow the sounds of bickering and… splashes. Upon reaching the lake's shore, he was treated to the sight of the Uchiha girl poised on top of the sun-dappled water. Her usually neat appearance had gotten on the wayside during the course of their mini-vacation. He felt a minor pang… what she was wearing was obviously one of Sasuke's old outfits. He'd recognize those white shorts and navy blue shirt anywhere. The shirt's formerly high collar had been tailored down to a more feminine V yet he could still see it was the same shirt. Her unruly black hair was in a long silk yank behind her shoulders. From here he could tell she appeared to be looking much healthier. The strain was gone from around and within her dark eyes and the alarming pallid hue her skin had acquired during her hospital stay had given back way to a light tan. Katana was ready to go back on duty. As long as she didn't overdo it, he could fathom she'd be able to handle more robust missions.

From a single look, Kakashi could see what was going on. Sort of early in the game for water walking, he observed with some pride. Yet he expected no less from this team which seemed in so many small ways ahead of the others. Not that there were many. This year's rookies numbered only six: Uchiha Katana, Uzumaki Ichigo, Hayabusa Takashi, Hyuuga Tomoe, Inuzuka Okami, and Nara Akito. There wasn't even a Team 8, something that had only happened once before. The pressure that would come with passing the first exam was going to be enormous. It was worrisome that the number of students graduating was dwindling in recent years. Sign of the times? He hoped not.

A head popped up from beneath the water with a gasping for air sound accompanied by a loud splash. Takashi's wide yellow eyes bulged for a moment and he floated there, bewildered. Katana stared down at him passively, eyebrow quirked in its trademark mannerism. Her teammate noted her expression, nodded, a determined look on his face. He would try it again.

Ichigo shot up explosively from behind the girl and grasped both of her ankles. If he expected her to shriek in surprise, he was sorely mistaken. She simply turned her upper body halfway around and regarded him with even more lucid disinterest. He beamed sheepishly and released her with exaggerated careTurning back round, the girl's eyes fluttered shut.

"_Oi_."

They opened and the girl glanced his way. The boys were behind her a second later.

"You're back early." Takashi remarked, treading water, shooting a quick glare Ichigo's way when the other boy flicked some water at him. "That's not like you."

"Did something happen?" Katana followed.

Kakashi shook his head. They worried when he was late and they worried when he was early. There was no in between. "Ah, no, nothing 'happened.' It just went extraordinarily smoothly, for once." He eyed their current state. "Unlike some things."

Ichigo darkened. Takashi chilled. No, they didn't like that.

Nonplused Katana glided across the water with barely a ripple and stepped ashore. "Maybe you can get them to take this seriously," she told him. "They beg me to teach them and then when I start casting the pearls they dive for the rocks. I'm fed up."

Kakashi rested a hand on the dark girl's shoulder and eye-grinned at her. _Heh, I can't ever get enough of hearing that. _He went by her into the lake. The transition between the water and the ground went smooth and flawless. Katana's eyebrows rose, appearing duly impressed by the perfection of the movement. Then she settled quietly down on the grass and watched her sensei work with the two boys, fingers entwined beneath her chin, elbows on crossed knees. The water-walking lesson progressed into some low-key water jutsus Kakashi felt the boys could handle. Out of the corner of his one eye, he was faintly aware the girl had activated her Sharingan. He channeled silent approval her way. Even if she couldn't fully participate in training yet, she was making the most of her inactive time.

"Argh!" Ichigo growled after crashing underwater for the umpteenth time. "How come _he_," accusing digit Takashi's way, "can stay up for a whole minute longer than me? He's been out here just as long as I have!"

Takashi's eyes rolled heavenward. "Do the words 'excessive chakra use' mean anything to you?"

"He's right, Ichigo," Kakashi added on. "You're molding too much, too fast. And your concentration is all…"

"…over the place," Ichigo finished, smoldering with anger. "Yeah, yeah."

"Then I don't need to tell you. Take the advice or get out of the pool."

Ichigo smacked the water angrily and huffed.

"_Risu_," Katana called from shore. She made a hand sign when Ichigo looked at her. "Remember?"

He brightened. "Yes."

She returned her hands to their usual position and just shrugged when Kakashi shot her an inquiring look. The answer manifested itself a few minutes later when Ichigo was able to stay up a few minutes longer, nearly on par with the Hayabusa kid, who seemed to slowly understand what Katana had meant. He began to improve too. Yes, Kakashi decided, watching Takashi form a hand seal. He was definitely going to personally have a one on one training session with the girl. It was disconcerting that she seemed to have a better hold on these boys than he did, at least in some unspoken way he was apparently deaf to.

"Kakashi-sensei, I must be doing something wrong. Can you show me the hand seal again?" Takashi asked. Smiling, he did. When a small area of water began to whirl around beneath the boy's hand, it brought to him the rare gift of one of the redhead's little smiles of triumph. Even Ichigo took a break from heckling the other boy to marvel at it.

"_Oi, baka_, not bad."

"Hn. Let's see _you_ do it."

A split second later, Kakashi was standing on solid ground with the two under his arms and watching the entire lake transform into one giant whirlpool. Everyone was dripping wet. Katana, who had remained ashore, was soaked.

"Heh," Ichigo stammered when everyone glared at him. "Oops?"

* * *

The great thing about having a demon living inside his stomach was no matter how much he drank the night before he never woke up with a hangover. But little consolation there was to be sought in that. While he couldn't remember a word he'd said last night, he remembered what he had been feeling. And who he had babbled these feelings to. Well, complete strangers always made the best tell-your-whole-life's-story-to targets. 

There would be time to regret all of that later. Right now he was focusing on getting his ass out of bed and reporting for duty. What the heck time was it? He lifted his head off the pillow and gave a start at the blackness that greeted his vision. No wait, they were underground, rooms were always inked out even in the middle of the day. It sure was something to get used to! He sat up slowly, blinking several times to get the grit out of his eyes. Habitually he inhaled deeply, something he always did when he first woke up. He almost choked on the scent that entered his olfactory chambers.

Blood. Smoke. While his brain wrapped around this, a distant shriek followed by another was a jolt to his senses. Naruto's eyes opened all the way.

_The fuck…?_

Vaulting to the floor, he allowed some of the demon's chakra to flow into his eyes. Suddenly the pitch black surrounding him took on muddled shapes, just enough for him to avoid bumping into furniture on his way to the door. Stepping in close, he pressed his ear against it, straining to listen. He jerked back when something collided with the door, thudding dully before scraping down the surface. Naruto had been a victim of enough ambushes to know what it was that had struck the door.

He glanced around. There had to be another way out of this room, surely?

No. The guestroom was completely sealed off except for some air holes punched in the wall near the ceiling adjacent to the rooms on either side of his. Akira had told him it was to allow the air to circulate underground, preventing occupants from suffocating in their sleep. Naruto pulled up his sleeve and pressed the button on his watch. Generally it wasn't a smart idea to wear a watch on a mission but Naruto had discovered if he wore it halfway up his forearm, it had less of a chance of getting in the way. The watch face lit up, showing the time.

Okay. He'd be asleep for about seven hours. Neji's orders were to meet nine hours later. So people should still be in their rooms, right? _That would depend on how long whatever it is that's going on outside has been going on._ There was a good chance he was the last one to know. But if this _was_ an attack, it still had to be in the early stages, otherwise he'd have been awakened a long time ago.

Naruto moved through his room and stood on top of the bureau pressed against the left wall. Mentally he filed through his memory. Who was in this room? Kami, he'd wish he'd paid a little more attention to where everyone had been going!

He rapped his knuckles against the wall in a certain rhythm. It was a standard identification procedure. A light rapping answered. "Who's there?" he hissed.

He heard someone climbing on the other side and the faint sound of breathing as the person hovered before the air holes. It was a woman… he could tell by the scent. "Ino. Is that you Naruto?"

"Yeah. What the hell's going on out there?"

"I don't know," she whispered back frantically. "I thought I heard someone screaming but it was very faint." Pause. "Meet me outside?"

"Okay."

Naruto jumped down, took out a kunai for use, and opened the door. He leapt back, somewhat startled that a dead body fell in over the threshold. The lights in the corridor were still on so he was able to make an ID. It wasn't one of their team… it appeared to be one of the members of the clan. Maybe it was one of those guys that had been playing pool?

Ino appeared at his side as Naruto knelt down the check the body. He looked up at her. Her Jounin uniform was ruffled up from having been put on so quickly and her hair was still tangled from the pillow. Something else too.

"Ino, fix yourself." He nodded at her chest.

The woman looked down to where his eyes were pointing. Flushing faintly, she reached into her shirt and adjusted her clothes. "Thanks." She nodded at the body.

Naruto obliged and turned him over. There was a kunai lodged in the man's chest. It looked as if he'd been killed in passing. Killed quietly. Obviously whoever it was didn't want to be found out. Ino sucked in her breath, shocked, but thankfully didn't react anymore than that. Naruto stood and jerked his head. _Follow me._ She nodded, brandishing a long blade out of her hip holster. Naruto arched an eyebrow. It seemed there was an odd fad of kunoichi running around with giant knives instead of kunai these days.

Together the two former classmates moved down the corridor, systematically going to each guestroom and knocking. The back of Ino's hand had only to brush lightly against one door. It drifted open easily. She looked back at Naruto, alarmed. "Lee's not in his room."

"He was out with Yuki, remember?" Naruto said, not removing his eyes from the door he was checking. "Recon takes a long time." He glanced at her then. "Neji's not in his room either."

The next door they tried opened before Naruto could bang on it. A surprised, sleep disheveled Tenten greeted them, brown eyes blinking. Her comrades' defensive postures and ready-steady weaponry told her the story. Without asking questions, she held up her finger. _One second._ She closed the door. A minute later she was dressed and running down the corridor with them. Their dread grew as bodies began to pop up randomly. Pools and streaks of blood decorated the floor and the walls like a gruesome paint project gone awry. It wasn't long before those distant screams and shouts became closer and less random. The twists and the turns of the labyrinth seemed endless. The sounds around them seemed to bounce and echo. Naruto was ahead of the women and so was the first to see the mayhem that greeted them as they entered one of the open-air training areas. Right away they could see the illusion had been dispelled, the shimmer overheard having given way to a bright, moonlit night sky. Naruto was able to discern their enemy.

His eyes became red, cat-like pupils. The dark lines on his face deepened. As the enemy rushed to meet the new arrivals, Naruto felt the corners of his mouth jerk up into an uncharacteristically feral smirk. He was going to enjoy this.


	20. Part 3: Sickness and Spirit

**Author's Note: **_We're going on to part three and it's the last part. Since the previous two parts were about nine chapters (roughly) apiece, expect about the same for this. I plan on writing an epilogue as well. Katana is not featured in this chapter - I wanted to give a wider scope to what was going on in Anzen no Chi Mori before returning to Konoha. Rest assured because of this escalating war the two stories will inevitably become one again and questions will be answered. Will the original Team 7 ever reunite? Will the new Team 7 repeat history or break the cycle? Will Katana ever see her father again? Will Naruto become Hokage? Will Kakashi ever put down that damn book? _

_**Part 3**_

**Yamai Wa Ki Kara  
**(Sickness Is A Thing of the Spirit)

Dawn crept upon the valley of the hidden clan of Anzen no Chi Mori warily. The golden-orange rays stretched their long, bright fingers, its uncertain touch upon the land an act of sheer courage. The night had fled with its shadows but the chill it left in its darkness remained. Stray whispers of grayish smoke drifting through the trees, toward the sky were the only telltale signs of the hell going on underground. A hell that was making its way to the surface, a fire and brimstone the inhabitants were only just beginning to feel. Though the sky burned blue and the sun engulfed the land in light, the difference went unnoticed.

The brisk morning air penetrated Sasuke's lungs like clandestine ice daggers. Each one felt and marked but unseen. From his vantage within one of the great trees lording over the surface of the clan's holdout, he was able to distinguish the enemy as they scattered below him like so many ants. His narrow, Sharingan colored orbs took in each Sound nin as they moved amongst the canopy and undergrowth. The waiting game was one he played to perfection. He did not fear his enemy but he wasn't about to rush headlong until he knew where to strike - and how.

Turning his attention briefly from the chaos below, he contemplated the wolf mask lying near him. He might as well have been staring at a physical manifestation of everything that had gone wrong up until this point. But Sasuke had no time to dwell on such idiosyncrasies, symbolic or personal. He moved to rise and paused immediately, frozen like the mouse who hears the snake. His eyes shifted to the trapdoor across the floor inside the hollow trunk. Gradually his hand moved to the holster on his hip and undid the button snap. Slipped a finger through the open circle. Slowly he began to pull it out then drawing it with lightening quick speed, moving as the trapdoor opened. In a moment he had the blade at the intruder's throat, both arms held fast between himself and the person's back who by this time he'd discovered was a woman. They both breathed fast, the sounds harsh and loud in the small space. After a moment he pressed close to the person's ear.

"Next time knock," he whispered.

Hikari looked around at the dark haired young man, her expression openly frank. He released her and crawled over back to his self-appointed post. Absently she rubbed at her neck as she moved over on his opposite side, sitting across from him.

"How bad has it gotten underground?" he asked at length, eyes focused below.

She sighed. The sound was weighed with a lot of meaning. He looked at her. "Is Heishi…?"

"No. He's still in command." She spoke very quietly. "He met up with his brother and Lee halfway between the reconnaissance routes. They've been trying to evacuate people." The younger woman's reddish brown eyes fluttered closed. "The genjutsu barriers from the north and south entrances have been completely breached. Yuki reports that the pass you came through with our allies was annexed seventy-two hours ago by a contingent of Kabuto's men. We… just didn't hear about it until now." Pause. "It's been exactly eleven hours since you killed the two intruders. I suspect they found the bodies. It probably clued them in where Anzen's weakest area was."

Sasuke's expression slightly winced. She could tell he was regretting letting those bodies drift away. She agreed he probably should have disposed of them properly however now was not the time to point fingers and assign blame. It'd already happened and there was nothing to help it.

She went on, almost helpless with frustration. "Orochimaru… _somebody_… planned this. I also suspect the Atokata passed along some information about those Konoha nin. It's the only way the speed of this makes sense."

Sasuke finally spoke. "Ironic way to put it."

Hikari raked a hand through her loose hair, gazing over the insanity going on below. Her gaze became hard as she glared at the Sound nin moving below them. She looked back at him and came out of it, blinking in mild astonishment, realizing. "Your mask… Does that mean…?"

"No."

"Will you tell them?"

Instead of answering, he let his gaze drift again. Hikari desired to grab him and shake him out of it. The man was always so goddamn remote. He'd been this way ever since they'd met as teenagers when her clan had rescued him and his baby years ago. Admittedly he'd loosened up somewhat over the years, she could tell this even though another decade had to pass until she saw him again. There are just some people you don't ever forget. Sasuke had a way of digging right in where no person had a right to be and staying there. And no matter how hard you tried, no matter what you did to drive him out, you could not. During his brief stay, he'd made an impression on everyone who'd spoken to him, especially Heishi Akira who'd gotten to be fast friends with the reluctant older boy. Hikari remembered watching him struggle with fighting off smiles whenever they talked. It was feeling he'd retained up to the day the Uchiha returned and he was the new head of clan. He'd _hugged_ the guy for Kami's sake! When she'd asked Akira why he was so quick to be friends with the deadly ninja, he'd replied: "Because he needs a friend, that's why, and I think he deserves one."

So Hikari, in her prompt decisive way, decided to be the missing nin's friend too. At first his personality repelled her; she'd never encountered anyone so bottled up in all of her life. But from a bit of conversation here and a short spar there (once he saw what her abilities were, he had all but _demanded_ to have a match with her) she got ensnared too. Even after spending a year in Anzen, it never progressed into anything lasting. She still didn't know much about him nor he of her. But there was one thing she was sure of despite all she had seen and heard. Uchiha Sasuke was a good man. Deeply flawed but a good man. She could fight by the side of a good man.

"We need to move."

"… Aa."

She touched behind her ear. "Do you have your radio?"

"Yes. Channel two."

"Three. Akira's on six and Yuki's on five. If you get caught in something you can't get out of or we get separated, you won't be without any one of us." He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, 'we.'" She glared at him, her fierce tone and expression telling him it wasn't negotiable.

He narrowed his eyes right back but then he just smirked and replaced his mask before grabbing the edge of the window and flipping up lithely. Fusing his chakra to the bark she heard him moving his way up the trunk. She trailed his ascent up the immense trunk into the vast overhead canopy. Keeping up with him wasn't easy. From a distance, he was a dark silhouette against a bright hazy sky.

Sasuke perceived her intent and position with token forbearance. Hikari would take care of any minor annoyances, allowing him to focus on the more challenging enemies. During his time here, he often "decoyed" enemies away from his lesser skilled comrades, using his enemies' penchant of going for him first to their advantage (and protection). It was a role he fell into easily. Countless times he'd done it for his daughter when she'd been too little to do anything but cower in the shadows. _But even that had its drawbacks._

Shit. He paused atop a branch and tracked his surroundings. Twenty, thirty Sound nins (_the village's recruiting methods must have improved,_ he thought) were emerging from the leaves like they grew from the damn branches. Several spotted him and moved for an immediate intercept. The more durable individuals with the quicker reflexes dodged all kunai and shuriken attacks, forcing him to raise the bar. These opponents were as good as hunter nin and one step away from Special Jounin level. No, taking these guys lightly wouldn't be in his best interest.

One lucky bastard managed to get his hand around his throat, slamming him against the bark. He grunted, glaring hate into his enemy's face through his mask holes. From his immobile position, he realized his error. What was pinning him was no mere Sound nin. His clothing was bizarre, brown with crimson pieces throughout, marking him, making him stand out among the dim shadows. Scars trailed under his eyes like engraved tear trails burned into his skin. A red triangle tattoo accented his chin and what he could see of the man's dark hair stuck out from under the bandana covering his head. His forehead protector bore a roughly hand engraved X with a crack down the middle, no doubt a little thing he'd created for himself. But Sasuke didn't have time to critique the man's poor skill in the arts and crafts. He grasped the arm where it met at the back of the elbow, intending on exerting enough pressure against it to force it to bend. His arm was like an iron rod. It wouldn't even budge.

It peeved the former Konoha ninja beyond reason. _Could he have been hiding his power to lull me into lowering my guard? _It wouldn't be the first enemy he met to have done this.

Right now the most crucial course of action was to get this guy _off_ him. His eyes darted around, avoiding the malicious grin, looking for a way out. He absolutely could _not_ move _at all_… The hell… _Is this bastard made of pure lead or something? Fuck this!_ He dived for his last resort.

He kicked the man in the crotch.

The man's lubricous eyes popped wide _wide_ open - long enough to see that they were a dark red -- before squeezing shut in pain. Automatically he doubled over, which allowed Sasuke to drop down and kick the man's knees from under him. Deliberately letting himself fall, he caught the branch, swung beneath it and let go to leap down another story. Landing in a kneeling position, he checked behind him. The man above was lying on his side, groaning.

Sasuke exhaled and shook his head. He couldn't believe he'd resorted to such a crude tactic. _And they said children picked up bad habits from their parents. _Never would he have thought since witnessing his little girl's method of getting out of a tight squeeze that he would be using such a move himself.

_He's coming._

He watched his now recovered enemy leap down and land on the same branch several feet away. The expression on his rough face revealed he was still hurting but the calmness in which he bore it disturbed Sasuke. Normally anyone dealt a direct blow to the family jewels took it badly; this rogue appeared only mildly fazed by it. He further miffed him when he just shrugged one shoulder and moved his neck as if to rid a crick from it. To add to the quandary the man smiled a slow, ominous grin. It was his only warning before he was slammed…

_No… wait…_ Sasuke thought, _he's still standing there._ He felt his equilibrium falter. It was a genjutsu attack. Before the full affects revealed themselves, he concocted a counter-genjutsu and sent it right back at him. His enemy wavered and stumbled back from the deflected mental assault, one hand by reflex grabbing the side of his temple. Wincing hard, he cracked open one red eye to regard the Uchiha, dawning and a hint of understanding flickering in the sanguine depths.

"No one has ever been able to dodge that." His voice was low, treading on the very thin line of insanity. He took his hand away and eyed up his masked adversary again. "A wolf mask," he spoke with finality. "So _you're_ the one."

Sasuke didn't know what the hell the guy was talking about. So he didn't say anything.

His enemy moved to guard, falling to a sideways stance, kunai ready. For a long moment, neither moved. Sasuke suddenly disappeared. His enemy blinked, puzzled. Before he could turn around to defend his blind spot, he heard something strange. Like birds only… only there were a lot of them… and they were moving so fast, so…

The Chidori only missed by a fraction of an inch. If his enemy hadn't changed his positioning, the blow would have struck him dead center. It grazed over his left shoulder, sending up a fountain of crimson as it took off the top layer of skin. It burned and he cried out, at the same time bringing his fist up and knocking Sasuke away. Going with the blow, he turned his graceless fall into a flip and barely managed to catch himself on the branch with one hand. Sending his chakra through it, he swung toward the trunk, leapt toward it, let his feet catch, push, and then he was airborne again. It was done with such speed and precision, the other only had enough time to formulate another mind assault.

This one was more effective only in the sense that in mid-flight, Sasuke hadn't prepared for it. He choked on the cold, hazy touch enveloping his brain. The taste of it felt too much like the red moon world of Itachi's Tsukiyomi - so much so for one brief terrible moment he thought Itachi had somehow appeared again. Then he remembered in the same instant that was impossible. Easing his way through the barrage of ice and imagery, he expanded his psychical shields, wrapped them around the attack and shattered it. Distantly he was impressed: this person could form devastating mental assaults and dish them out one after another effortlessly. His chakra peaked each time. It took several years of training for anyone to reach that level, especially if they weren't a Uchiha. Interesting.

His enemy howled as he felt his brief touch of control shatter. "How are you doing this!" he shouted, clearly confused and in agony once again. "What the hell are you?"

What the hell are you? _Huh. Funny how some things keep coming back to you. _There was a reason, of course, as to why Sasuke was able to withstand these assaults. A reason that he couldn't be more thankful for.

_So pathetic._ Sasuke landed, letting a smirk tickle his lip if only because the other could not see it. He rushed forward again - impossible to track - and struck the man deep in his gut. He choked up blood and collapsed, clutching his stomach. Taking advantage of this, Sasuke snatched the bandana off, grasped a fistful of the man's locks and forced his head back, exposing his throat. The edge of his kobun met the skin there.

At this the man stilled. He grinned and rolled his eyes up to meet the Uchiha's. "_Chinmoku itsu made mo_."

Thinking his hearing had failed him, Sasuke stared at the grinning man. _Aw fuck no, Orochimaru, you son of a bitch, _he thought in white-faced shock. Next to the Akatsuki, the discreet and lesser-known Chinmoku and their distant affiliates the Atokata, were malignant forces of nature. They were less organized but they were lethal and… A flash of the mutilated corpses at the pass lit through Sasuke's mind.

_I should have seen this. _

He said the mercenary's name with absolutely no emotion. "Kenryoku."

Slight opening of the eyes. "So nice for you to know. I hadn't realized I'd become so popular." Kenryoku chuckled, pulse racing against the blade's edge. "Seems we need no introduction… Uchiha Sasuke." He tasted the shinobi's name with satisfaction.

Pissed off, Sasuke released the man and shoved him back, leaping away a foot and holding the knife up before his masked face warily. His senses were telling him other members of Chinmoku were beginning to gather round. Their leader was in trouble and they would paint the forest red for him without hesitation. Whatever charisma this barbarian exuded to make so many of these grotesque beasts loyal to him was lost on Sasuke. While he'd followed Orochimaru once, the spell of his personality had never quite gripped him in the profound manner it did to the rest of those who served him. Frankly he'd found the man annoying… in his own creepy way.

Kenryoku kept that damned calm grin in place like a wall. "Smartest thing you ever did." He held his hand up and signaled his hidden men. "We'll meet again later, Uchiha. I'm afraid there are more… pressing concerns. If you'll pardon my rudeness."

He vanished. Just like that. The aftermath of his departure was punctuated by an air pulse, which waved over Sasuke and blasted his eardrums. He groaned and palmed hard at them, attempting to ease the painful ringing.

He cursed under his breath. _Should have slit his neck right there who cares I'll kill 'em all if I have to…_ Logic took hold once again and he forced himself to take a number. His enemy had thrown him off guard and had become more than what he had seemed from the start. Not knowing the numerous repercussions of killing him was what had stayed his hand. Groups like Chinmoku had a fiercer sense of loyalty to their own than most red-light district gangs. Killing their leader now with his men watching would have been much more than he could have reasonably handled on his own. No, men like him needed to be taken out when they had nothing left. Men like Kenryoku and Orochimaru had a support system. Crippling that first was key to bringing his enemy down.

_I still should have killed him,_ a part of his mind whispered. He knew he would regret this later. Just one more log to the proverbial fire.

Thump. Hikari landed behind her comrade, her rapid breathing audible. "Please tell me that wasn't who I thought it was," she stated, her voice laced with dread.

So she had seen. Sasuke faced her. "It was."

He watched her mouth "Fuck!" and crouched down to stab her knife in the bark in anger. "Could things get worse?" A trickle of blood dripped down her face from her hairline and she wiped it away absently, too pissed to care. She touched her radio. "Heishi One do you copy?"

Since Akira and Yuki were both Heishis, they had designated numbers to their names. In Anzen formality on a battlefield was important if a tad silly in his opinion.

"Ten-four," came Akira's slightly static reply, his voice in Sasuke's ear as well. "What's your twenty?"

"Uchiha and I are on the southern corner. We have a new problem. Our suspicion about Orochimaru having hired mercenaries panned out. The Chinmoku are here… and it seems Kenryoku has decided to make a personal appearance in this effort."

"Oh no," Yuki's voice spoke out in a fearful groan. "Please tell me you're sure about this."

"There was no mistaking it," Sasuke confirmed. He added, "Where are you?" Neither of the brothers could be underground anymore, he briefly surmised. Such weak reception could not reach through rock and these ear-pieces weren't the most powerful pieces of equipment in the world.

"Just outside of the east pass, a little more than a quarter mile from you both." Pause. "Is it just the two of you?"

"Yes," Hikari replied. "How did the evac go?"

It was the younger brother who answered. "Not so good. We… we lost about fifty men and women." Yuki sounded subdued. "Most of the civilians are dead. Those sons of bitches trapped them in airtight rooms and gassed them. _Those fuckers gassed them_!"

Akira chided his little brother and told him to calm down.

Sasuke lungs closed involuntarily. The brutality of this was nearly suffocating. It sounded so unlike the usually straight-forward tactics of the Sannin. But it seemed like Orochimaru wanted to completely annihilate these people until there wasn't a trace of them left. Sasuke didn't possess the strongest moral compass in the world however this felt… wrong. He could understand (even if he didn't agree with) the snake's grievances against Konoha but he could not sanction _any_ with this. He wanted the valley _that_ badly? There had to be more to it. Sasuke vowed he'd find out sooner or later.

Speaking of Konoha… "Where are Hyuuga and his team?" he asked neutrally, successfully keeping the concern from his voice.

"Last I heard he was having it out in an open air with eight Sound nin," Akira replied, worried. "I gave him a transmitter. He was with Lee. Uzumaki, Tenten and Yamanaka were retreating from another… although they've managed to subdue about twenty nin before they did." There was a hint of distractedness in his voice, something that sounded disturbed. "Uchiha, I need to ask you something. About Uzumaki."

"Yes?" Sasuke's stomach clenched.

"Is he… this probably is irrelevant but…"

"Ask the question."

"I-I wouldn't know what I'd be asking," he stuttered. "I don't understand what it was I saw."

Oh. Sasuke let a bout of meaningful silence pass. "Uzumaki is what he is. He is still your ally, remember that."

"Yes Thank you_…_ I was just…" He exhaled and bypassed it altogether. "We need to reconvene at a secure location and review our territory. Things seem to be thinning out now but I won't count on things remaining that way. Until I give word, we're on radio silence. Understood?"

Sasuke and Hikari affirmed in unison.

"Good. Be safe. Over and out." And the connection went dead.

Hikari and Sasuke glanced at one another, wordless things passing between each other's gazes, a heavy knowledge that the inevitable was upon them.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, sadly. "We… shouldn't have brought you into this."

Sasuke turned from her and shifted his gaze elsewhere. "You couldn't have known." Thoughtful pause. "We need to move."

She nodded and allowed him to lead as they traveled through the treetops.

* * *

Somewhere in his lofty, hidden perch, Akira stared across the valley stretching below him. The smoke trails had increased to into an intense black cloud cover, looming over their former haven like rainless storm clouds. The midmorning sun was a thin circle, barely peeking through the thick haze. He could barely stand to look at it… his home was burning. Everything he had worked for and fought for during his term as clan head had been for nothing. The guilt he was feeling was so much more than he thought he could handle.

Thank God for Yuki. He reached over without looking and gave his little brother a pat on the arm. _I'm okay. _The boy squeezed his shoulder and quietly departed to help Karou attend to what refugees that had been able to make it out. Only then did he look after him, smiling weakly. The brat had become really something these past several years, going from a mischief making fifth wheel to a mature, intelligent capable young man. The position of second he had handled awkwardly at first, unsure of himself. But today he had shown his true potential in aiding Karou in getting those people trapped underground out. It was then Akira finally realized his brother had grown up and become more than just a pain in the ass that needed to be guided all the time. But he hated that this realization had only come to him now, when the world was standing on its head, looking down as it screamed.

_People only show what they truly are when everything has gone to hell._

Akira turned his thoughts to Uzumaki, to get his mind off of the present. He pictured the scene again in his mind, trying to make sense of what he'd seen.

_Akira raced along the stone wall edge of the former training grounds and paused over the underground passage. Crouching to avoid being an easy target, he scanned the field below. It was only just becoming visible with the dawn's light but he could make out the figures of the three Konoha nin. The Yamanaka woman was standing by, hands in a strange seal, using some sort of jutsu to force her opponents to strike against one another. Tenten was nearby, covering her comrade's back, using a variety of weapons to take out her enemies, an astonishing array of speed and movement. Akira looked around again and there his gaze froze. His whole body froze._

_Uzumaki Naruto was effortlessly doling out punishment and he wasn't even breaking a sweat. A spinning ball of chakra frequently appeared in the palm of his hand, of which he drove into the stomachs of any nin who came too close. While the women bled from various sustained injuries, Naruto seemed unharmed._

_A Sound nin came at Naruto from behind and rammed a kunai in his back. Naruto just turned and assaulted the man in one movement, knocking him across the green. Then absently he reached over his shoulder and pulled the knife out. Turning in the same motion he caught another nin coming at him from the corner of his red eye (red eye… wait, weren't his eyes supposed to be blue?) and whipped the bloodied kunai his way. It struck him in the ribs, finishing him off. When his back faced Akira, he noticed the wound had stopped bleeding, in fact, very little blood seemed to have come out of it at all._

_Akira sensed he had lingered too long and cut a hasty getaway, raising a hand to Ino when their eyes met across the distance. He made a hand gesture to indicate his direction, intent and destination. She raised her fist to acknowledge. He hurried on, motioning for those catching up to him to follow. As he ran, he found himself unable to rid the image of those strange animal eyes from his mind._

_But if it's like Uchiha said, _Akira thought with a reassuring sigh. _I can't doubt our allies now. If he trusts this guy, then I'll do the same. _Though he found it funny in a sad, twisted way that if it had been the other way around, Uzumaki most likely would not have been of the same opinion.

The clan head stared down at the valley again and moved from his perch. Once he stood upon solid ground again, he looked up to see Karou had come to his side. He tried to smile at her but only a hint of movement twitched the corner of his mouth.

His older sister slipped an arm around her brother's shoulder and gave him a wordless squeeze. "Don't make that face, you're scaring me," she whispered with a mischievous wink. His pathetic smile turned into a brief real one before slipping away altogether.

"Have any more arrived?" he asked, daring to hope. Thirty refugees had made it to the temporary retreat, fifteen of them ninja, the rest civilian women and children. Currently they rested quietly under trees or lee of stones, too stricken with shock, too frightened to move or make a sound. Even the infants cradled to their mothers' bosoms were mute, though rocked incessantly as they were. Perhaps the constancy was the only thing keeping them silent… or the women who held them sane.

Her head moved back and forth sadly. "I-I think," she murmured, "we need to accept that there aren't going to be." She lifted her gaze to him then, her brown eyes tired and resigned. Though no ninja by any means, possessing neither jutsu talent nor taijutsu skills, she had plenty of common sense and a survivalist's instinct. She had naturally taken to help lead these people out of danger long before the deadly canisters of poison had been tossed underground.

But Akira shook his head, clenching his fists. "I can't accept that. Not yet, not until I've done everything I can." He narrowed his eyes, fierce and resolute. "I will _not_ surrender this valley. Our clan has made it eight generations here in Anzen and it's going to make eight more. I swear it."

From his kneeling by a small boy close by, Yuki lifted his head, pausing in his reassurance of the child. He had never seen his brother like this before.

Karou touched his arm and worried at her bottom lip before she headed back toward the group. Akira watched her go before connecting with his brother's steady gaze. The younger boy became distracted by the child and did not glance at him again. However he didn't need to. Akira had seen everything he had needed to in his expression.

* * *

He was alone.

Naruto couldn't quite figure out how that happened. One minute he was racing through the dense undergrowth with the women on his heels. The next they were ambushed by a mixture of mercenaries and Sound and despite trying not to, he became separated from them anyway after taking a tumble down the side of a steep incline into a small ravine, his current opponent grappling with him.

Struggling to get the man off him, he managed to twist one arm around and closed his hand around the man's neck. Holding him at arm's length, he shoved Rasengan in his stomach in a massive, devastating blast. The man struggling above him slackened and the clawing hands dropped limply to his sides. Drops of blood faintly smattered across the thick lines of Naruto's cheek, his smoldering blue eyes a hard gray. It hid the human being inside that cringed in horror and disgust. Killing was one of those things Naruto never got used to. Kyuubi found his lack of satisfaction toward soundly defeating an enemy pathetic but he refused to cave to the beast's mockery. This just wasn't what he was.

Planting his foot in the dead man's stomach, he shoved the body off him and flung it aside. Vaulting to his feet, he spared it a glance, breathing heavily. Another strangely dressed mercenary he mused, wiping the blood off his face with the back of his hand. He looked up and drew his eyes along the edges of the passage he'd fallen into. He swiftly remembered his friends and leapt to the top of the ravine in a single bound, chakra faintly dusting off his heels upon landing. He sniffed the air and exhaled in an audible huff, unnerved when he could no longer catch Ino and Tenten's scents.

_They were right behind me, right on my heels, _he thought as an uncomfortable churning feeling developed in the pit of his stomach. _Neither one of them could have gotten far. I can still find them. _Sorely tempted to call out to them, with frustration he held back, knowing he might accidentally make their situations worse with his distracting voice. He clenched his fists and ran back into the dense foliage, snatching and pushing aside branches and leaves barring his way. His breath was hollow and loud in his ears, footsteps thudding treacherously under him.

Naruto halted in the middle of a clearing when someone darted ahead of him and moved to block his route. He blinked a few times in the sunlight, getting a fix on his new problem.

His "problem" was another Sound nin; this one had a gray pony tail and curiously round spectacles. He had to be in his early to mid thirties although there was still a slightly boyish cast to his guileful yet duplicitous eyes. Naruto narrowed his eyes and measured him, trying to nudge away the feeling of recognition. _I know this guy… why do I know this guy…_

"You've grown up nicely," the man remarked with a smirk. "Quite an accomplishment considering how reputably careless you used to be. Still dreaming about becoming Hokage?"

Naruto felt his rage seed anew. "Kabuto…" he spoke through his teeth. _Orochimaru's bitch,_ he silently added nastily.

"Ah, so nice of you to remember."

He considered Kabuto again for a moment. "It would be better for you if you just stepped aside."

Kabuto shrugged, totally unconcerned. _Still… it's still this way, still the same! _Naruto screamed internally. Never taken seriously, always underestimated. But _was_ it really like that? He knew Kabuto was good at hiding his true thoughts and motivations. His nonchalance was probably a front for a wary, watchful eye.

"I'm not here to fight you, Naruto."

"Oh? You're just stopping by for a friendly chat then?" Naruto returned sarcastically. "Sorry but I'm not into 'remember whens.'"

Oddly enough Kabuto had the grace to look mildly impressed. "You've certainly gotten bitter." He turned his head to the side and favored his old enemy with feigned interest. "I wonder when that started?"

"Shut up." Naruto flashed by Kabuto… almost impossible to see… and began moving ahead once again. Kabuto was quick to call after him. "He's alive, you know."

Naruto stopped dead, his back to the other. Gradually he looked back at Orochimaru's right-hand man, slowly. His hard expression demanded details the shock gripping him would not let voice. "Who's alive," he stated cautiously.

Kabuto frowned somewhat and it was not in confusion. "Playing dumb may be your nature, Naruto-_kun_, but I'm not going to buy it this time."

It was a long time before Naruto could find his next sentence. "What do you know?"

Kabuto brightened at this first sign of cooperation. "It's not my place to say." He smiled at the befuddled rage crossing the blonde man's face. "You might want to ask your faceless friend."

It was almost comical the way Naruto's big blue eyes blinked then, total bewilderment and disbelief warring over each other openly. No, he had not improved at all in hiding what he truly felt and thought. So predictable and yet so not: Kabuto's old opinion of the wayward ninja had not changed there in the least. But he relished in seeing that the exterior had toughened into something completely impenetrable, more bullheaded and rock solid than he'd seen the likes of for a long time. The rumors of the next Hokage had reached Sound and even though Kabuto had not yet engaged the man in battle, his gut told him to do so would be foolish. Naruto had sky-rocketed beyond what could be dealt with… and Kabuto did not wish to suffer needless injury in a fight he would ultimately lose.

Naruto opened his mouth, about to demand an explanation when he realized Kabuto had disappeared. Narrowing his eyes in frustration, he backed up a few steps and plunged once again through the wood, searching for his friends. Their scents were wafting toward him now and although the rich damp smell of earth and the presence of many other bodies interfered, it didn't prevent him from getting some kind of fix. They weren't far.

His mind pondered what Kabuto had implied and simultaneously shrugged it off. Mind-fucking was one thing his poor brain just didn't want - or cared - to keep up with. Talking in circles and riddles were never things he was very good at. What mattered was what was actually happening, what you actually had to deal with right in front of your face and occasionally what happened in the sides and the back. Naruto found life was much easier when viewed through this lens - and problems a whole lot easier to discern and solve. Answers revealed themselves in due time. Still… faceless man. There was nothing clandestine about that one he had a good idea of who Kabuto had meant. But what would he have anything to do with it?

A woman screamed.

All these thoughts vanished from his head like a hand sweeping across a shougi board and clearing the pieces away. He changed directions and bolted up the length of a monster oak. Right away he saw Tenten. Her hair unbound and straggly with sweat and blood, she was backed up against the wide body of the tree, a trickle of blood running down one cheek, the only weapon left in her arsenal was a pathetic kunai, which she brandished before her determinedly. Her right knee kept buckling, unable to hold its owner up. Despite the ferocity of her expression, her eyes told the truth. Four of those mercenaries had her cornered and they were coming at her fast. They were throwing senbon needles at her at an impossible speed. All the kunoichi could do was hold her arms in front of her face and turn halfway around to avoid being skewered so completely. She screamed again and her knee gave out once and for all.

Naruto suddenly was back on the bridge and seeing mirror images of a swirled mask. _Shit shit shit I'm too far away! _Panic twisting his gut, Naruto inhaled and filled his lungs to capacity. "TENTEN!" Hoping to distract, to get their attention from her so she could recover and get away. He thought he saw her see him but he couldn't be sure.

But he had done something at least. They paused, one after another, and shifted his way. However the cessation of the assault caused Tenten to relax… and that slight slackening of the muscles was enough to cause her to slip and plunge down toward earth. Realizing she was in no position to land safely, Naruto rushed to catch her. A rain of senbon pierced his shoulders, back, legs and arms, however he paid no mind to the minute pinpricks.

Catching the now unconscious and bloodied woman in his arms, Naruto went the rest of the way to the ground and landed in a crouch. Pushing off, he continued on. Dimly he was aware of two - no _three_ - nin passing him by, going toward their attackers. Ignoring them, he concentrated on putting as much distance between himself and his pursuers as possible. Once he got Tenten in a safe place, he'd return and deal out some punishment for her sake. He knew she would find this humiliating. It was the best he could do.

Reaching another clearing - crap this opened into a huge meadow - he increased his speed to cross it quickly, knowing how exposed they were.

"Na-Naruto?" He looked down. Tenten had stirred.

"Don't." He admonished. "You're okay now."

A faint smiled flickered across her face and she closed her eyes. Naruto smiled back at her even though she couldn't see. Regrettably he didn't know the woman very well as a person - life just hadn't worked out that way for either of them to allow for it - but she knew him enough to know he wouldn't let anything happen to her. That he'd do everything in his power to protect her from harm. Simply because he was Naruto - and that she was his friend.

He became aware of someone behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, thousands of plans running through his head, they ceased when he realized who it was that was running beside him. A big grin stretched across his face. "Fuzzy Brows, how the hell are you?"

"Intact, for the present," Lee replied. His green uniform was torn in places and he looked disheveled and bruised. But his face was still bright and cheerful. Nothing got Lee down, a quality Naruto had always likened to in the older man. "Yourself?"

"Not too bad."

Tenten sensed her comrade and lifted her hand. "_Oi_ Lee."

He smiled at her, concerned yet glad to see even beat and defeated, she was able to humor it. "_Oi_ yourself. Tenten, you look like a porcupine."

"Nah," Naruto quipped, "she looks more like a hedgehog."

Both men laughed when she raised her hand and gave them both a one-finger salute.

"Neji sent me ahead," Lee moved on. "He says get your ass back there while I take Tenten to where Akira and Yuki are."

"Where's Ino?" Naruto asked. They paused so he could gently handle over Tenten to Lee. Lee shouldered his former teammate piggy-back, though he winced in sympathy when she hissed in pain.

"She and Tenten became separated but I saw her with two of Anzen's nin heading toward the east pass not too long ago," the round eyed young man replied. "I'll probably meet up with them on the way."

Naruto nodded and moved to go back the way he came.

"Thank you… Naruto," Tenten called back to him. "You've got a lot of work to do when we get back home, you know."

Naruto stared at her, astonished. She just smiled at him. How was it that everyone seemed to know? He glanced at Lee who just gave him the thumbs up with a wink before dashing away in a green blur. Shaking his head, he continued on. _I sure know how to make strange friends, _he thought.

* * *

_"I've made up my mind."_

_"Yes. This is more than what we could have expected. Send the message."_

_A hawk burst from the crown of the tree, stretching its wings for flight as it ascended into the inky blue sky._

_"I only hope we're not too late."

* * *

_

Neji stood there and surveyed the bodies below his feet impassively. _Too easy,_ he thought with a barely discernible lowering of his head. He'd sent Lee ahead to fetch Naruto for reinforcement, knowing Lee's speed would get the injured young woman to the east pass a lot faster. Initially he'd wanted Naruto for back up however he'd overestimated these mercenaries. While extremely formidable with needles, they sucked where it really counted.

_I don't know why I expected more._

Still… he winced as he idly ran a hand down his arm and plucked needles out. _It doesn't make sense why they were able to bring Tenten down so quickly. She should have lasted a lot longer than she did._ An error had occurred in her program… some kind of extraneous factor that allowed four men to be able to bring her down with just _needles_.

"NEJI!" The twin to the one in the sky crashed characteristically through the brambles and branches, landing beside his more reserved comrade. The impact of his landing made the branch vibrate a little. Neji barely flinched.

"Why not just shoot a flare up, Naruto?" he growled. He did not appreciate the way his friend felt the need to shout his name every time the idiot saw him.

Naruto wasted no time on sheepishness. He flicked his gaze around, surveying the swath of the brief sortie around him. "Huh, what was that again about needing help?"

"My mistake."

"Ne, your modesty kills, Hyuuga." Naruto rolled his eyes. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and both men departed.

* * *

Somewhere in a hollowed cave where a single dancing candle was the only source of light a shrouded figure was sitting bent over in a chair. His fingers were laced beneath his chin, the smooth, ageless features of his face exuding a passive aura. The echo of footsteps made his narrow eyes slid open, revealing yellow pupils narrow and slit as that of a snake's. A smirk crawled across his pallid facade. Eventually he looked up at the one standing over him.

The expectancy of his expression spoke for him.

The other, a man wearing round glasses, simply folded his arms and smiled.

The shrouded figure chuckled, yellow eyes narrowed in glee.

Things were going well.

* * *

The Godaime was working at her desk when she heard the distinct call of a raptor from outside. Immediately pushing back her chair, she moved to the window and pushed open the shutters. Leaning part way out, she scanned the sky. A bird was circling overhead in a pattern that filled her with a deep pervasive dread. A pattern no Hokage ever wanted to watch. Her throat closed. Numbly she extended her arm for the animal to see, nipping her lower lip when the predator's claws dug into the delicate skin of her forearm.

Quickly letting the creature hop to the windowsill, while she scratched it under and behind the beak, she found the message capsule attached to its left leg. The kanji on it was strange; it was foreign to eyes that did not know what it was. Tsunade knew it well… and she regretted its very existence at the moment. Unrolling the tiny, encrypted message, she closed her eyes for a second and then forced herself to read it.

Her hand clutched around the paper, crushing it. "Dammit!" she whispered her eyes narrowed with anger, with dread. She had hoped, _prayed_, against this scenario. Teeth clenched behind closed lips, she leaned heavily on the sill with her elbows, allowing intractable acceptance to gradually win out.

_So things have come to this._

She exhaled and brushed aside a few strands of pale yellow hair as she wrote a response and fastened it to the bird's leg. She fed it a treat and then bade it to leave, closing her eyes and lowering her head when it was out of sight.

It looked like she was going to be extending her week's notice by another few months.


	21. Thresholds and Dreams

"This is the sappiest thing I've ever seen. I don't know why I let you talk me into this."

I worried at my bottom lip, knowing if I replied it would be one of my usual sarcastic rebuttals. I suppose I couldn't blame Ichigo for complaining; romance films were just not his venue of entertainment. If it didn't involve some kind of blood and guts action or jump-out scares involving axe murderers, a film held little or no interest for him. To tell you the truth I wasn't all that crazy about romance films myself. I found most of them unrealistic and melodramatic with a heavy dose of saccharine laced gooey stuff.

But today I'd been feeling unusually sentimental, perhaps because of tomorrow's mission to a small village just outside of Fire Country. Yeah, we'd finally gotten a break from the dry spell that had been Operation Baby Sit Katana (Ichigo's name for it, not mine, the little bastard). It was kind of high profile for a Genin team: we were to escort somebody of moderate rank to _another_ village several miles away from that one. We would be gone for a week and the trek to get there itself would take about two and half days. Kakashi thought it would be suitable we rest up a day before leaving. Our marching orders were to abstain for overexerting ourselves the night before. Get plenty of sleep, he'd told us, and try not to do anything illegal.

"Hey!" Ichigo protested loudly. "I only shoplifted once in my entire life!" We stared at him and he flushed.

His eye on the crazy blonde, Kakashi then admitted he'd been joking.

That aside, I was pleased, for it sounded both exciting and manageable. Ichigo, who had never been outside of Konoha was absolutely ecstatic. Takashi, who was a bit more traveled than the other boy merely gave a little grin and shrugged. We'd gone our separate ways, knowing we'd soon be seeing a lot of each other over the next several days. Then my boyfriend turned up an hour later and asked me to go to a movie with him: my choice, his treat. I couldn't refuse.

In the darkness of the theatre I nudged him. "Hush. I don't want to get kicked out."

Obviously frustrated, he fell silent.

The story progressed, unexpectedly taking a tragic turn mid way through the second act. The romance between the title heroine and the hero falls apart. At one point the hero is thought to be dead and the heroine suffers through most of the film trying to cope with this. Eventually she is killed in a violent manner… just after finding out the hero was alive all along. He finds out about the circumstances surrounding her death and is wracked with guilt. Swearing vengeance on her behalf, the film ends with him grimly setting off to perform his last act of love.

During the course of all of this, Ichigo had gotten sucked into the movie. He kept discreetly palming at the corners of his eyes, although I barely noticed because I wasn't bothering to hide the fact I was moved. When the movie ended we left the theatre somber and depressed.

"Well," I tried to shed some light onto the gloom. "It _was_ based on a true story. Movies about true stories never have happy endings."

Ichigo's shoulders were hunched and his hands were in his pockets. "Why?" He muttered dolorously.

I glanced at him, mildly perplexed. "Hm?"

He stared ahead, expression somewhat subdued. "Why does it have to be that way?"

I cradled my arms. "I don't know," I replied softly.

We stopped under a street lamp. Dusk had fallen in the time we'd been out. Ichigo took my hand and tugged me close and leaned into me. His heated breath ghosted along my cheek, the tip of his nose just barely skimming. Involuntarily my hand on the opposite side rose up and rested on his upper arm. My eyes drifted closed. I shivered as he traced down the column of my neck to my collar. We were barely touching but it felt so intimate.

"Do you have any idea," he murmured into my hair, "what you do to me?" His hands rested on my waist and drew me in, even as he pulled back to look me in the eye. The intensity of his gaze penetrated mine. I could see the smoldering desire, the rawness of it catching me off guard. A sudden nervousness took hold of me. I wasn't stupid. I knew Ichigo wanted to have me _bad_. His self-control wasn't the best in the world and whatever he usually wanted he just went for it. And I was having a harder and harder time stopping him, not because I couldn't, but because I didn't want to. Now I wavered on my convictions.

I slipped my arms around his neck. Ichigo pulled the rest of the way, his mouth meeting mine hungrily. I felt my knees weaken with each stroke of his tongue, my breathing speeding up along with his. His arms moved around my body to support me, propelling us out of the light. We stumbled against a building and halfway into an alley. My back slid down the rough brick wall, as my fingers dug into him with a ferocity that frightened me. It was like everything inside me was on fire, wanting for something it had never known, begging for it incessantly, over and over again. For the first time I made no protest when his hands found their way under my clothes and then _down_. Shocked at how good it felt, I gasped his name into his ear. My rationale was pulling itself out by the hair while my own hands reached up to tangle themselves in his. I kissed him hard and deep. Suddenly Ichigo grasped the sides of my head and forced us to part. My logic sang its gratitude while my body roared in disapproval.

"No," he gently pushed me away, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. "If-If we do this, it'll destroy our team dynamic. It'll ruin… it'll ruin everything."

Mute, I nodded, folding my arms over my bosom to keep myself from flying apart. In the murkiness my cheeks burned with shame. _God, what did we just do… we nearly… and… and … I don't want to know what we almost just did! _"Maybe… we should cool off," I said, struggling to tear the words from my throat. "Take a step back."

Never again in my life would I witness the frozen horror that took hold of Ichigo just then. It was as if I'd ripped his soul out through his eyes. "You mean… break up?"

I shook my head vehemently. "No! No, nothing like that. I mean, well, you're right." My voice shook. "I want us to be able to be together without being afraid of what will happen next."

Ichigo touched my shoulder and pulled me in gently for a hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered, voice wrought with self-reproach. "What I did… I shouldn't have."

I buried my head against his shoulder, holding him tighter. "I wasn't fighting it."

"It was still wrong."

"Ichigo, don't talk about it."

"But…"

"No." I stepped back and made sure our eyes were level. "The last thing either of us needs to do is cheapen this. _This means something_," I said fiercely, "and it belongs to _us_."

Eyes widening, Ichigo stared at me, far away, close inside and everywhere in between. He wanted to say it, almost did. I was afraid to hear it, afraid to let him. So I placed two fingers over his lips and leaned in to whisper, "Take me home."

When I took my hand away, an audible sigh escaped from him, long-winded, disappointed. He heard what I really said and it saddened him. Saddened I'm not ready to make it into something more real than either one of us. But he took my hand and led me back into the light, remaining there until wind chimes and red and white fans ended our date.

"_Oi_," he called out to me before I stepped into the house. I looked back at him. He was grinning again, hands shoved in his pockets. "Pretty good movie, huh?"

A little smile escaped me. "It was." Pause. "Would you do it?"

"Do what? Oh. What he did?"

"Yeah."

He thought about it, both eyes crystal in the faint moonlight falling over the estate. He looked at the ground once, then across the loam before he brought his gaze up to me again. After another moment, Ichigo suddenly smiled again and gave me a two-finger salute before jogging off into the darkness. I waved after his vanishing form. I didn't know what to make of his non-reply. I supposed Ichigo himself couldn't tell me either not because he didn't want to but because he didn't know. Didn't _want_ to know.

I knew what I would do.

Closing my eyes, I rested my side against the front door. _What a long day. _I wanted to curl up into a warm little ball. Feeling his presence, I opened my eyes again and looked down at the small creature sitting before me. I laughed. He was so funny, his bright eyes accusatory and miffed, like he'd been wondering where the heck I'd been all night. I couldn't help smirking. "_Oi_ bastard."

_:I really wish you'd stop calling me that:_

"What else would I be… what?" It just registered. I became wide-awake, staring down at Reynard in shock. "Did you just… wait I didn't hear you say anything though."

_:Of course I didn't _say_ anything.:_ The _kitsune_ licked his chops. _:I can't talk.:_

"Then how are you…"

_:Mind speech, kit, it's the new wave of the future. The rest of you ninja are so behind on the times, it's pathetic.:_ Reynard let out a wheezy fox noise and gave me his typical smart-ass expression._ :But I can forgive you.:_

Unsteadily I knelt down before him, heart pounding. "I knew you were more than just a normal fox. Why didn't you say anything before?"

_:I was biding my time.:_

"Biding your time? For what?"

_:To see whether or not you were worthy of my attention.:_

"Am I?"

One eye closed for a moment devilishly. _:I'm talking to you now aren't I:_

I frowned. "You don't have to be so sarcastic." My legs were starting to throb and go numb so I settled down on the floorboards before the animal. "Why me?"

_:It's not you, specifically. You were brought to my attention by default. We were interested in the other guy.:_

"Other guy?"

_:Your sire… What you humans call father.:_

My mouth dropped open. "My father? What… I don't understand… I…" A sudden feeling of doom enveloped me, robbing me of air and for a second my blood ran cold. "By default. Does that mean, are you saying, is he…" I didn't want to say it, I couldn't say it.

_:We're not sure.:_ Reynard flicked his tail back and forth, lightly thumping against the newly polished porch. _:But that's beside the point. We're interested in you as well. _I've_ decided _you're_ worth _my_ attention.: _His emphasis on each syllable was not lost on me. There was something significant going on here.

"Attention?" I was so full of intelligent questions. "For what reason?"

_:To serve you, of course. What did you think summons did, stood on the sidelines and spectated: _My dull expression spoke yards for Reynard who just sighed in his usual fox-whuff and hung his head briefly. :_Do you have any idea of what I'm talking about:_

"I think so." I squinted thoughtfully. "Summons… that's where you call up some kind of animal to fight with you." I remembered the snakes my father used to summon and gasped. "But I thought summons could serve ninja only through blood contract."

_:What is so only about that: _Ear flick. :_This is true._ Kitsune, _however, do not require blood contracts. It is probably why very few humans choose to ally themselves with the fox. Our methods are somewhat… unorthodox. To gain our loyalty and service, certain things must happen and these 'certain things' happen rarely.:_

"What kinds of things?" I asked.

_:You've heard of the Kyuubi no Youko, haven't you: _

I nodded.

Reynard's nostrils flared. _:His actions ended whatever relationships we had going among humankind. Nobody wanted anything to do with his children so if you haven't heard of contracts with foxes, I wouldn't be surprised.: _He lowered his head mournfully_. :It's terrible the destruction reputations cause.:_

Too true. It struck where it meant to.

He looked up at me again. _:So you can see why I was so hesitant. To go back to your initial question, the conditions have all been met. Most of them were met by your father unfortunately he disappeared before he could be approached. We turned to you next.:_ He grinned. _:You're perfect.:_

Oh nice, I was the next best thing. My heart pounded again. "What did I do that made me perfect?"

_:You can pass on our legacy. Things are clear to you in moments of chaos. You kill without hesitation. Your loyalty to your own is unshakeable. You choose love over hatred, forgiveness over vengeance. You saved a cub that was not your own. We can trust you.:_

Very flattering. "Then why was my father your first choice? He… was going to kill his brother."

_:Duty to one's own blood:_ Reynard replied nonchalantly. _:Regardless of the circumstances and the reasons behind them, to us, your sire acted acceptably. That he put you ahead of his interests makes this count for rather than against him.: _Long pause. _:The issue is irrelevant now. The duty is done.:_

Hold the phone. My palms smacked audibly on the floorboards as I leaned over. "What do you mean?" I demanded fiercely. "Explain that!"

Reynard did not answer.

Exhaling, I sat back again, frustrated like you would not even believe. _Drop it, he's not going to tell you. _"So I meet your criteria. Whoo-hoo. What happens now?"

_:It's already happening.:_

My eyebrow arched. I felt like I was paying a bill for a resource I wasn't even aware of receiving and wondering what part of it I had to pay for. "Is there some kind of training I need?"

_:No. You have the training required. Only know this: you need only ask.:_ Then he grinned. _:Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with a barn rat.:_ Swiftly he leapt off the porch and trotted off into the night, a grayish red flash in the lantern light. I opened my mouth to shout after him and closed it again. Standing, I watched after the direction he'd disappeared. I wondered why all the weirdest things on the planet always seemed to pick me to happen to. I sighed and went into the house. _This is a lot to happen in one night, weird things not withstanding._

I was only too happy to crash into my bed, burrow under the sheets and hug the pillow to my head. I could ponder the thousands of implications of this association tomorrow. I was bushed.

* * *

When Takashi couldn't sleep, he often liked to sneak into his father's "den" a room, which consisted of little more than a dartboard, a pool and a bar. The patriarch of the Hayabusa clan separated work and play into two distinct categories and their estate reflected this. You had the training compound on one end and the game rooms and recreational areas on the other. They weren't insanely wealthy like the more reputable Hyuuga clan but they held their own sizable assets and influence. Only having moved their holdings to Konoha seven years ago, they were still on the upswing as far as reputations went. Their heritage, varying talents and striking features made them stand out from a lot of Konoha's residents - and earned lots of attention alike for the men and women of the clan. 

Takashi was the youngest of the males and even for his talent and scholastic achievements, within the family, he remained overlooked. It didn't help he was a quiet boy and tended to prefer to fade into the background during family gatherings. Unfortunately this caused him to be inevitably ignored by the rest of the family, though most of the time it was out of genuine forgetfulness. In his mind he felt he wasn't important enough to be singled out for attention, not the way Shinji (that attention whore) was. Shinji was the oldest of the main family so therefore the mantle of the Hayabusa clan would go to him when their father stepped down. Naturally he'd get the more attention as the main heir and as far as Takashi was concerned, he was just the understudy. He didn't mind. Who wanted that much responsibility anyway?

He hissed when the dart fell short of the center mark by a quarter of an inch. It was a frustrating enigma to his shinobi talent. Excellent at hitting the target when it came to throwing kunai yet lousy when it came to anything else. _Why is that?_ He grumbled inwardly before consoling himself with the thought: _Well, at least I don't suck all the way around like Uzumaki. That guy couldn't aim right if his life depended on it. Glad I don't have to stand next to him at urinals. _A smirk appeared on his face and he reached for another dart.

_I'll allow him one virtue, if it's the only one he has, _he amended. _He certainly has good taste in women… albeit strange dark women with sadist complexes. Damn that Katana is scarily talented. How'd she get so good? _He threw the dart. _Sure would like to meet that father of hers she name-drops now and again. Missing nin or not, I'll bet he's really something. He can't be that bad a guy, traitor to the village notwithstanding, although why should I take personal offense, I wasn't even born here. _Secretly Takashi hoped for his teammate's sake that she would reunite with him one day. Those mildly sad smiles that would grace her lips whenever she'd mention him were hard to forget._ Guess when they're the only real family they have in the world you have to want that for someone else, _he thought, frowning again when the dart hit the wall. Damn. Dad wouldn't like holes in his wall. Maybe this was a sign he needed to call it a night.

"Burning the midnight oil?"

Crap.

Takashi seethed somewhat and turned to the speaker. "I told you not to sneak up on me like that."

Shinji leaned on the threshold to the den, a devilish evil-big-brother smile on his face. "Sneak up? I was just announcing myself, twerp. What did you want me to do? Send you a telepathic message?"

Takashi crossed the room to pluck the darts out of the board. "What do you want?" he asked neutrally.

His brother shrugged. "Nothing. I was just coming back from putting Saki to bed."

Saki was their two-year-old sister. A night owl at heart, she often liked to scale her crib to wander the halls at two and three in the morning. Someone on the estate always heard her padding around in her footies and had to scoop her up and deposit her back in her room. Tonight it was Shinji who caught her.

"Then why you bothering me?"

Shinji frowned. "You're going to be gone for a week. I thought we could have a conversation."

Arranging the darts in the order in which he'd removed them, Takashi closed the dart box and put it back on a shelf containing several board games. "What makes you think," he muttered, "I have anything to say to you?"

Since his back was turned, he didn't see how his brother withered. Shinji knew his _ototo_ openly resented him and it seemed nothing he could say or do appeased him. If he could he'd give the kid all that special attention their parents liberally bestowed upon himself on a daily basis. Hell, the pain in the ass deserved _some_ kind of recognition; he was pretty amazing for a Genin. Sure, he needed to exercise a little finesse when it came to social interaction but that was the least of his faults. He supposed, he admitted reluctantly, it didn't help that their parents regarded Takashi as the little brother that had to be protected by the older brother even though the twerp was perfectly able to do it on his own. Anyone would resent such a position.

When he didn't reply, Takashi looked around at Shinji, studying him critically. "If you have something to say to me just spit it out already," he demanded at length. "I'm tired."

But Shinji closed his smoky blue eyes, shook his head and scratched the back of his neck. It was too late to get worked up into a frustrated frenzy though he dearly wanted to. Every time he attempted some kind of bonding, Takashi rebuffed and found new ways to dodge. On some level he supposed he deserved it. Ignoring the kid for eleven out twelve years had earned him such treatment. At this point all he could do was keep trying. It was all he knew how to do.

Meanwhile Takashi intellectually sensed how hard his niisan was trying and on some complicated level, he appreciated it. This was what made him press on rather than normally going along his way. "Shinji." _Just say what you need to say. _

Tentatively, Shinji felt the shaking line of opportunity and gingerly toed it. "Just wanted to tell you good luck. I, uh, I've been out that way and, well, it can get pretty rough."

"I can handle it." Takashi crossed his arms haughtily.

"I've no doubt but you might want to keep an eye on that Uzumaki kid. I've heard he's a loose cannon."

"Uzumaki can keep an eye on himself," Takashi replied bluntly. "So can Katana… if even more so."

Shinji thought. "Where'd that girl come from anyway? Here I thought all the Uchihas were dead and she comes walking out of the blue." He grinned the grin again. "Bet she's really hot when you're sparring with her. Nothing better in this world than a kunoichi kicking ass."

_Oh save me from this._ "I wouldn't know."

"Oh c'mon, you _don't_ mean to tell me you _don't_ find a woman like her alluring?"

"I do. She's his, though."

"So? Steal her."

Shocked, Takashi shot his sneering brother an incredulous stare. "Unlike _you_, shithead, I piss in my _own_ territory and only follow what wanders into it. And I'm _not_ being a pussy," he added quickly, "that's just common courtesy."

Shinji chortled. "But you liiiike her."

"Irrelevant." Pause. "You raging pervert."

His niisan leered proudly. Takashi sulked.

"Seriously." Shinji grew staid again. "I'm just trying to play the older brother card here. I think a lot of you, you dork. One day you're going to be better than me - _oi_ stop glaring, I'm not blowing smoke in your face! Listen to what I'm saying." Takashi didn't lose the arrogant posture but at least he was still listening. He exhaled. "I'm not good at the whole support thing," he murmured. "You know this better than anyone. I just… I'm trying." A few beats passed. When Takashi didn't move or even blink, he gave it up as a bad job. He offered his brother a half-wave and left, trudging through the dark recesses back to their room.

Alone again, Takashi stood there for a long time. Gradually his eyes shut and he lowered his head before following.

* * *

Staying up this late was a deviation from the norm for Sakura. Yet there was something about the way the milky light filtered in through the glass of the back sliding door while she sat at the kitchen table drinking decaffeinated herbal tea. Perhaps it was because it was so peaceful. Often assailed by the hubbub of hospital life, the wave of silence coursing over her with its current of bliss and solitude soothed her sore muscles and throbbing skull. Dodging stretchers and gazing into countless hideous wounds all day was trying even on the nerves of the most seasoned mednin. And she already had enough to worry about. 

Today she learned that Naruto's team was over by forty-eight hours for contact. Then she learned later in the day via Tsunade who'd gotten a message from the small band sent to spy that Sound forces were successfully infiltrating the Anzen no Chi Mori valley. Her stomach had plunged at the words 'dwindling numbers' and 'taking on major losses.' Before she could rush to the Hokage's office to demand reinforcements be sent in, Shizune had shown up at her door and sweetly informed her she was needed in audience at the Fifth's place. Finding no reason to object, she hurried on out. Now here she was back at home, drinking bitter tea under moonlight and contemplating the ironic circles her frustrating and gut-twisting life was going in. Fearing them. Worrying about them.

Sakura moved her wrist slightly to the side where it lay outstretched across the smooth table surface. Huh. Kid was late getting in. She tried to decide whether panicking was in order and about how constructive could she be doing it. Certainly hunting the little pain in the neck down and killing him was out of the question. Not to mention unconscionable, what kind of mednin goes around killing people for no reason? No kind as far as she knew.

Well, she had a reason… a reason most mothers could get behind anyway.

Somewhere a door in the house opened. A relieved smirk tickled her upper lip and she allowed her stiff shoulders to set against the back of her chair. Wrapping her hands around the mug, she turned her head to the kitchen door expectantly. Her son soon entered and stopped dead just inside the threshold. Sakura almost laughed; he did look funny standing there as if flash frozen to the spot. Both she and Naruto loved keeping the kid on his toes, never allowing him to be sure what they'd approve or disprove of. For the most part though they kept his trust in their support.

"Uh…ur… um…" he began, scratching the back of his neck, face full of doom. "I can totally explain."

Sakura shook her head and nudged the chair to her right. "Never mind. Sit for a minute."

He obeyed, perching on the seat, watching her with a measure of curiosity and wariness. Smart kid, he could sense something was up.

Taking a moment to collect her thoughts, Sakura ran her finger along the smooth rim of the mug. "I thought I should tell you," she began slowly, quietly, "that I've just received a mission. I probably won't be back when you return from yours. You'll be on your own for a little while."

Ichigo appeared startled. Rarely both parents were gone simultaneously. While he was okay with their going away on long missions, when both were gone at the same time, he grew anxious. He hated being alone. Sure he could stay with someone until they got back but nothing compared to the security one felt with one's parents. To take them _both_ away knifed his gut with fear. For some reason he remembered Katana's weird feeling from a few days ago and gave an inner shiver. Couldn't possibly have anything to do with it.

"Dad hasn't… when will he be back?" he asked, fingers curled over the edge of his chair.

Sakura lowered her eyes. "That's the problem. His team's communication was not received. The shadow team sent after them has reported a major insurgence which prevents them from sending anything in or out of their location."

Ichigo's pulse began to race. "Wh-What does that mean?" He was hopelessly confused.

"They can't come home. I'll be leaving with a larger team tomorrow afternoon. The shadow team sent coordinates so we should not have much trouble getting there." She finally looked up at him, her face shuttered.

Ichigo's own expression was one of shock and helplessness. He understood what she was implying and he had to stop himself from screaming. "But that means…"

Sakura felt torn. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Being a ninja… these things happen… and we've always prepared you to expect for something like this. You knew there might come a day when both of us couldn't be here."

"I know!" he realized he was raising his voice and took hold of himself. "I mean, I just… it doesn't mean I have to like it! What if…" He stopped himself. There were always going to be what-ifs so hashing any of them out wasn't going to help either one of them. Especially with his mother, who tended to over worry about stuff. No need to make it worse than it already was. He clenched his fists, balling his anger right up into a righteous ball of infuriation. "I-I never got to patch things up with Dad. We haven't been getting along lately… he probably thinks I hate him. Damn it!" he hissed, enraged and guilt ridden at the same time.

His mother reached over and touched his arm gently. "He doesn't think that." It ached her to see him so distraught.

Ichigo said nothing, just rested his elbows on the tabletop and shoved his forehead against his raised fists. At length, he murmured, "I know." He turned his head so he was looking at her. "Promise you'll come back."

Sakura reached out and rested her hand on his arm. The last thing she wanted to do was lie to him. Ichigo had inexplicably become her whole life and she knew he saw herself and Naruto as examples to lead by. Especially herself, for she felt how deeply her son admired her, how much he wanted to please her. Sakura guiltily admitted it had a lot to do with how standoffish she tended to be with him at times. It upset him greatly - she could see it in his face how much it hurt him when she yelled at him.

When she didn't reply, his face expressed dawning panic, a hidden screaming denial her soul felt to the bone. She closed her eyes for a moment to contain her sadness.

"Mom…" Next she knew he had come around to her and was hugging her, face buried in the crook of her neck. She opened her eyes again and let his head tuck against hers. He could not see the sheen of tears but she felt his. She held him for a moment before he eased away. Gazing at him, she marveled at how much he'd grown over the past summer. No longer a little boy, he had become a young man with a strong build, a big heart and fierce jade eyes that seethed with the animal's rage. How could all of this have happened without her noticing? It felt like it was only yesterday that she was standing under the autumn trees holding him up so he could touch the colored leaves. Yet he was still that same little boy. It was this little boy who stood before her now, afraid and needing assurance.

She empathized only all too well.

"Ichigo," she told his desperate gaze, smiling gently, genuinely, "you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. How could I not come back?" Trying to play it off, and pretending not to notice the amazed happiness in his expression, Sakura shrugged, waving her hand casually. "What am I saying, you're a big grown man, you don't need that kind of mush from your mother." She winked at him.

Ichigo laughed, half-hugged her, which was more of a quick grab of the shoulders and a momentary lean-in before he retired to his room with a token "Good night." Sakura watched after him and sighed, resting her palm on her cheek, leaning on her elbow. In her mind she called out to Naruto. _I need you to help me finish raising this kid you helped me make so don't do anything stupid like getting yourself killed you hear me!_

The realization she grasped from this passionate mental ultimatum struck. It was so profound both hands dropped from her face and she stared straight ahead, wide-eyed, white-faced. Tears filled her eyes and she cursed them as she rejoiced in them. It was everything she could do to keep from bolting out of the house and running off into the night. Instead she sat down again from half-rising from the chair and buried her head in her arms. She let herself cry for it, cry for her stupidity, cry for the years it labored inside her without her notice, without revealing itself yet standing out in the open, always _there_ and just unseen because she was too _blind_ to see it.

Later that night she dreamed. She was in the middle of a great vast nothingness of mist. She was running and looking around, trying to find her way. Suddenly she stopped dead, seeing a shorter figure standing before her. His hands were in his pockets and a smirk curled his mouth. He was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. He looked about twelve years old.

He spoke first. "You haven't dreamed about me for years. What gives?"

She sighed and sank to her knees. He followed the movement with his eyes. At length she spoke. "I hate it when I dream about you," her voice was low. "I never remember but I wake up with tears running down my face and I don't know why."

"You do. You just convinced yourself to forget."

She shrugged.

"Why do you think you can't forget about me?" he inquired. "It's more than just a childhood infatuation."

"It was never an infatuation." She glared at him. "I did love you. I loved you so much it hurt to breathe. But… I'm finished. I'm… done." Her head lowered.

"No, you aren't." He always did like making everything into a challenge. The dream-self was no different.

She nodded, lifting her chin again. "You're right. I… I need closure. As long as I don't know what's happened to you, I'll keep visiting this place. It's not fair. I have my son and I have your daughter to keep alive what never was but… but…" The tears ran and she crawled on her knees over to the boy, gripped his shirt and pushed her face against his chest. "Oh Sasuke…" it came out a thin, needy cry. "Even if I give my heart to someone else, there'll never be another you." She looked up then, tears flowing. "I just wanted you to know… Even if I can never really tell you."

He gave her the little smile he'd given her the last day she saw him sixteen years ago. "You really _are_ annoying."

As he always did, as he never had in reality, as he never had when she knew him, he put his arms around her. And as she always did, as she had in reality, as she had when she knew herself, she became that twelve-year-old girl with long hair and embraced him back.

She never had the dream again.


	22. The Beginning and the End

The journey to the next village started out tamely. It took some time for me to feel comfortable with traveling out on such an open road. I was used to side paths, trees and cross-country amongst tall grasses. Everyone else was perfectly relaxed and eager, and not wanting to be a bother, I kept my discomfort to myself. I'd already proven I was a lot of trouble when it came to maintenance and subsistence. The least I could do was keep my complaints to myself. Perhaps this was a form of latent remorse? There weren't many people out there who would have done what they did for me. Put up with me.

Bringing up the rear, I focused on the ground. It was a heavy-handed conclusion to come to. It brought me back to the night Ichigo and I spoke for the first time. The whole trusting thing. Wasn't I doing that? _No,_ I admitted reluctantly, eyes rising to my sensei's moving back. _You're buffering._

"Katana, you're falling behind."

Blinking, I gave myself a mental shake and sped up until I was walking beside Kakashi, murmuring a low apology. In a nonplused I-sound-like-I-don't-care-but-who-knows-I-might tone, he asked me if I was all right. I turned on a megawatt grin and said I was fine. I'm not completely sure he believed me, though I didn't care either way. He didn't press me so the matter ended there.

"Wow!" Ichigo was enthusing, stretching his arms over his head. "This is so awesome! My first real mission! Just watch, I'll kick the ass of everyone who crosses us! That diplomat guy is going to be so grateful, we'll be swimming in money!"

"Baka," Takashi muttered, "you can't _swim_ in money."

"I know that, geez, it's just an expression."

"Hn."

Ichigo made a face at him and stuck his thumbs under his travel pack's straps and moved on further ahead. He shifted his ever-wandering eyes, fascination and barely muted joy lighting his bright face. He was a canvas of emotions, lively expressions and jaunty gait fueled by barely restrained enthusiasm. Today he was wearing a black shirt with the Konoha leaf symbol on it and pants to match. It was possibly the most decent outfit he owned; his entire wardrobe contained mostly 'message' shirts declaring some obstinate one liner or catch phrase. He was exhausting, loud enough to wake the dead and bright enough to cancel out the night. A lot to take for the less exuberant individuals who weren't used to him. I got asked a lot by girls, not just Tomoe, why I stuck with tree boy and there were times, those so few times during the school year he upset me (always unintentionally) badly enough to make me cry, I did the same.

A fly buzzed at his face. Without thinking he smacked it, banging his nose. "Ow!"

I exhaled through my nose, amused.

Along his worldly scan, Ichigo caught my staring at him, smiled and winked at me. I reddened a bit, quickly looking away, rebuking myself for being so obvious.

"_Oi sensei_," Takashi began suddenly, peering at the sides of our path. "There haven't been road signs for the last twenty minutes or so. You're certain this is the correct way?"

"Yes. This itinerary is different from the ones most Konoha nin use. This road leads almost if not nearly the entire way to our client's village," Kakashi explained. "You won't find any side paths through this country."

Eyebrows drawn together, Ichigo looked back. "Isn't that kinda dumb though? Wouldn't a direct route be just asking to be attacked?" he shook his head. "Ne, I may lack discretion but I sure as hell know what stupid looks like."

"Because you have to look at it in the mirror every day?"

My teammate's response was to pick up a stray pebble and whip it at me. I caught it with one hand and tossed it unceremoniously over my shoulder. Touché. Kakashi just shook his head, resolved to having given up on making us behave.

We continued on, not really speaking much, for the next couple of hours. We rested every now and again and even those quick breaks were filled with silence. It was unusual for a boisterous threesome like us, especially for Ichigo who I thought would go into twitchy convulsions if he had to be quiet for even one second. I had my reasons for being less than talkative but I couldn't imagine what theirs was. Kakashi I didn't even bother speculating on - he was harder to read than Otosan if only for the sole reason I'd known the latter all my life.

Moving under the cover of a sun dappled wood my face stretched into a faint smile. Taking a closer interest in my surroundings, I'd stop briefly to scan and then took a few extra steps to keep up. Since he was walking closest to me, Kakashi noticed my sudden change in behavior.

"What is it?"

"Hm?" I pulled my eyes from the upper story. "Oh, nothing. I think I may have been here before."

Hearing me, Takashi peered at me in brief pause, interested. "You have? When?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. We must have spent the night here. Sometimes we used to spend the whole day in the trees." I snickered, remembering. "Heh, I was a klutz back then. I kept falling and Otosan had to come back and catch me."

"You sure were," Ichigo added wickedly, grinning like a cat-who-caught-the-canary. "You once staple gunned yourself to the roof you were working on and your dad spent three hours freeing you."

"No, baka, that was you."

"Was not."

"Was so."

Miffed, Ichigo grunted, folded his arms and hunched his shoulders, purposely trudging further ahead of me. Takashi chuckled, earning him a harsh glare from the irate blonde. The other boy merely narrowed his eyes at him gleefully. Ooo boy I could tell their next spar was going to be a bit rougher than usual. I couldn't wait to watch, frankly.

"Where were you going?" Kakashi asked suddenly, startling me. I peered up at him, astonished. This was the first time he's asked me a question like that.

"To a job, I think. Um, we did a lot of those kinds of things. He did, anyway, I mostly stayed behind."

"Hm." Kakashi seemed to chew it over and when he was satisfied with it, he went back to his usual inward contemplation. I was dying to know exactly what he was thinking, why he had asked. Again I bit down and refrained from asking. Oh damn it was hard. _I wish he would tell me more than he does… and I wish I were brave enough to push out those questions. _He would tell me when I asked point blank, that had to be all there was to it. Sakura once told me most of the time dilemmas weren't complicated. It was those that approached those dilemmas that made them that way. "Go with your heart," she'd said. "It's better to do the right thing and risk hell than the wrong one just to see a glimpse of heaven."

The acre of dense forest ended shortly before nightfall, plunging out once again into the open road. Our sensei announced we needed to stop for the evening. There was a hot spring nearby so we pitched down lodgings in its vicinity. It was duly noted if we were going to arrive at our client's domicile by the next day, we should at least _look_ professional. We knew what he really meant however none of us bothered protesting the implied insult. Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Later in the evening we pitched tents and turned in. The boys shared one tent, I got one solo and Kakashi had his own. Ichigo whined about having to share his personal space with Hayabusa and naively asked why he couldn't share a tent with me. Our sensei just Looked at him and told him it wasn't appropriate (I think he was fully aware of how, um, _physical_ Ichigo and I were). Sharing a tent was definitely not a good idea.

_It wouldn't have mattered much. _Disliking the confining space that screened off the world around me, I dragged my sleeping back outside. Once I slipped back under the covers, the sound of the zipper loud in the quiet of the darkness, I felt a lot better. Many nighttime ambushes convinced me long ago to give up the shelter a tent provided. Besides I just liked it better this way. Totally relaxed, I gazed up through the trees at the sky, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. Sticking an arm behind my head, I extended my other hand out to the blue-black ink above. Next I spread my fingers and rotated my wrist slightly. It was a navigational trick I learned from Otosan: there were five stars in the sky your fingertips could cover when you lay flat on your back with your arm out straight. If you could find these stars and your hand matched over each perfectly, whatever direction your head was pointing was the right way. To this day I didn't know if he was just indulging me with a silly old wives tale or if this had any basis in truth. Certainly it did help pass the time waiting for sleep to arrive!

Gradually my arm lowered and I eventually turned over my side, still awake, an arm crooked under my head. The churning feeling was back and stronger than ever. It supplanted a deep urgency within me, as if whatever it was drew nearer not further, an actual physical distance that was being breached, circling closer and closer in a downward spiral.

_Maybe I'm just going crazy,_ I thought, tracing patterns in the dry dirt with my index finger. _Sounds about right, I'm at the prime age for it, aren't I?_ At my age, Itachi killed the clan, at my age my father ran away from home for power. It may not be either of those things, though, something was sure off about the way I was thinking lately. _Maybe Uchihas are just inherently insane_. These vague musings and feelings were too perplexing and frustrating. So I sang.

I must have drifted off. When I woke again, it was with a jolt. For a scary second, I didn't know where I was, and I held my breath, my whole body stiffening. Taking stock of my surroundings, I laughed at myself for awakening with such a frightful start. Sitting up carefully, I took a moment to stretch. Absently my fingers sneaked under my shirt and gingerly palpated the area around the edge of my old shuriken scar. My fingers were cold so I jerked a little at the contact. Though my ribs were still tender, that long-ago complaint still managed to act up sometimes and burn worse than the recent injury. Sakura had looked at it and told me the muscles in that area had torn when I'd been wounded and hadn't healed exactly right. Considering the damage, she added, it was amazing it had healed as well as it had. I wasn't really all that surprised though. Otosan was always good with handling sharp objects.

The gray sky above told me it was a few hours to dawn. Squirming around a bit in urgency, I unzipped the sleeping bag and slipped out. I needed to answer the call of nature. I debated on donning my dress for the excursion and dismissed it. I'd only have to gather it up and take part of it off again anyway. So wearing just my navy blue sports bra (a trend among this gen's kuonichi - black mesh seemed to have gone out like it was last year's fall sweater) and my black shorts, I selected a direction leading away from where the boys and my sensei slumbered. For good measure, I fastened the knife sheath containing my kobun to the loophole on my right side. Perhaps I relied on this silly thing too much. The knife was like a close friend to me and virtually indispensable. It wouldn't feel right not to have it with me.

Sneaking away, I located an isolated, hidden area and took care of my business. Hearing the sound of water running nearby, I located the source and knelt down before a tiny, quick running creek. The water was so cold my hands went instantly numb. Withdrawing, I shook out the droplets and wiped them dry on my pants. Straightening, I took a moment to just stand there. The caw of a jay overhead alerted me, the flapping, feathery beating of wings audible as it flew away. A deer flashed by, fast, its white tail up to attention. Some of the best memories I have involved a deer or two. A stag during the season of the rut had been my first large kill. It had fed us for a month.

_Heh, that was a fun day. I made a kunai out of an antler with my knife and carved my initials into it. I even made Papa one… I don't know what he did with it though. I never saw it again. _It made me wonder if we'd ever have that again, that 'us.' Don't get me wrong, I dearly loved this new life in Konoha. I had a warm home to sleep in, access to all kinds of tools and weapons, I was earning a living and I had close friends. Literally it went without saying: this truly was the best kind of life a ninja could have.

There were those times, however, times like now I yearned for those days under the sun and the stars. With nothing between us but nothing itself, as we found those deep wild places in the world where no other human being dared venture. Met them. Fought them. Survived them. Answered to no one. Completely uninhibited. And yet I wanted for more… while Otosan…

_Otosan loved it. _It was never about getting away from anything… no, it had never been like that, not for him. Sure, there was his revenge… and Kami only knew how that consumed him. But there had always been something else that wasn't about revenge. I smiled. A weight lifted and suddenly I felt a bit lighter than before. It took me so long to realize this… and it made the odd smoothness in which he let me live the life I asked for a lot easier to understand.

Contented, I crossed my arms behind my head and closed my eyes. My musings moved on to the conversation I'd had with the fox last night. The experience was hard to wrap my brain around and some of the things he had said kept rolling around in my head repeatedly. His reasoning hadn't made entirely too much sense to me and less his implications about my father. 'The duty is done.' I chewed it over. That's what he'd said. Did it mean what I thought it meant? I prayed it did, at the same time I was terrified at the mere notion of its being true. It could mean any number of things.

"Hn." I turned over, grumbling. "Who'd ever understand the mind of a _kitsune_?"

* * *

Hikari had the Sound nin cornered. He was out of chakra and out of luck. The man should have known better than to mess with her - she could see it in his face, partially covered by black cloth as it was - he regretted his foolishness deeply. Pity. Hikari wasn't one to grant mercy in her long career on Anzen's Special Forces and that wasn't about to change.

The shadows were getting longer and there was very little daylight left. She stretched her arm high above her head. A spot of orange-yellow sunlight hit her palm. The chakra she pooled there began to rotate, first forming a flat disc of blinding white-yellow chakra before it filled out, growing larger and larger. She brought her other hand up to contain it between her palms. The whole while she approached the cringing man, the fierce intent on her face plain to see. Her speed increased.

The nin was dead instantly, pinioned to the side of the rock face even before he knew what hit him. Her fingers splayed across his chest, Hikari panted, the sweat pouring down her face in rivers. When she was sure the life had vanished beneath her palm, she slowly withdrew and stepped back. Watched as the body scraped down the stone, sliding until crumpling into a careless heap at her feet. Sparks still danced in her fingers; she flexed them to get them to dissipate more rapidly.

A faint whisper of movement and a light thud on dirt told her Sasuke had caught up to her. He took note of her handiwork, meeting her gaze when she moved to face him.

"That the last one?" he asked.

She nodded, wiping her brow with the back of her wrist. She took a moment to get her wind back before speaking. "Are you injured?"

The man moved his left arm. "I got clipped by a shuriken but it's just a flesh wound. You?"

She grinned. "Not a scratch."

"Oh you're funny."

She smirked at his sarcasm. She scanned the ravine the Sound nins had attempted, quite poorly, to corner them in. There had been about eleven of them in the ambush, which quickly reduced to five in the first few minutes. The former Konoha nin was scarily powerful. Hikari thanked her lucky stars the man was on their side of the equation. She gave him a nod and they took off once again, taking to the treetops.

"We're going to have to hide out for the night," she called over to him as they traveled side by side. "My Bloodline Limit is picky about the kind of light I use with my chakra, as you know."

"Hn… Maybe you ought to start wearing solar panels then."

At his deadpan reply, Hikari shot him an incredulous look out of the corner of her eye. "Who the hell _are_ you?" she asked after a second of staring at him. He glanced at her, his expression naturally impossible to discern behind the mask. She elaborated. "You've been Mister Run-on Commentary ever since this shit storm began. You get high in the face of death or something?"

"… Hn."

And here we go again with the ambiguity. Hit by a naughty notion, she spoke in a sly, suggestive tone. "You best be careful. That's my turn on."

Indifference.

Hikari made a womanish sound of disbelief. "I'm offering a freebie here and the man scoffs at me," she muttered, pretending shock, intending full and well for him to hear it.

Sasuke didn't skip a beat or a tree branch. "I know better."

Hikari sniffed. "Yeah right, that's not what you said last time."

"I was humoring you."

"Because I took the top, otherwise you'd have nothing to say."

The silence that followed told the woman she'd won and she chortled inside at her victory. No man could outwit her - and her verbal returns hurt worse than a swift kick to the family assets. Sasuke wearied of women's wily word games and wondered as the scenery cruised by where he went wrong. Or why the hell he even bothered. The old excuse that a man had needs was starting to sound thin even to his own logic.

"_Oi,_ Uchiha, _sorry_," she called over, surprising him. "You aren't going to stew over that one, are you?"

"No."

She smiled.

Thanks to his mask, he smiled back without reservation. The woman was a pain in the ass but she was a great ninja. Definitely not marriage material - too much of her own woman for that and she _loved_ bragging about not being tied down to any man. They'd been together a few times only because she wanted it. He had libido and there were few women who were into casual no-strings-attached liaisons. And being that he was kind of trying to see how well he could get on with a woman in that way… he went for it. Providentially it didn't scare him the way it used to (though most of the men in Anzen took their hats off to him for not losing any important body parts in the process considering Hikari's reputation).

"_Oi_, anyone alive out there?" came the sudden, welcome, static tinged call in their ears.

Her face lighting, Hikari smiled again, wide and true. It had been several hours since they'd been ordered on radio silence. "Heishi One, glad to have you with us."

"Glad I'm still here." Akira sounded tired. "Wolf, you walking the earth?"

"Aa."

"Good." Sigh. "You guys have no idea how good it is to hear your voices. If you're not currently preoccupied, do you think you could RSVP with the rest of us?"

The two ninja exchanged looks. "Has the fighting receded?" Sasuke asked.

"Somewhat." Yuki replied this time. "For the most part we've gotten a hold of the majority of the survivors and have them in a secure location." How long that would last, none of them dared hazard to guess - and though no one spoke of it, the uncertainty was definitely felt.

"And our allies?" Hikari ventured.

"Safe too." Akira sounded almost genuinely happy. "One of them was injured fairly seriously however it's nothing she won't survive. Hyuuga and Uzumaki were the last nins to report in and that was six hours ago. We just need you both…" His voice grew distant, annoyed for a moment. "What? No, I don't know where they are… All right I'll ask."

"Akira?" Hikari wanted to know what was going on.

He came back loud again. "It's nothing. Uzumaki wants to know whereabouts you are now."

Sasuke did a quick mental check of their progress. "Passing through the north quarter. We're nearing the end of it though. We should be in your territory soon." Pause. "Is there something we need to know?"

"He ran into Kabuto near there." Neji's voice came through clearly and calmly. "It's not enough reason to assume Orochimaru is in the area however keep your guard up."

_The wolf is at the door. The snake is behind it. It's time to turn the key._

"Understood." Coming to an internal conclusion, he switched off and motioned to Hikari they make pause. They landed on the ground in a small thicket.

She was concerned. "What is it?"

With a sense of finality, he pulled off his mask so she could see his face. She stilled, his dark eyes bearing into hers. He looked far away in the waning sun, his detached being commensurate with the shadows he lived in. "Go on without me," he said finally, very softly.

She stared at him, her eyes saying what her mouth could not. He heard her unasked question. Struggling with his words, he looked away again. "I know what you're going to say. But you have to understand." He narrowed his eyes then and glanced at her, touching his neck in wordless emphasis. It dawned on her and the surprise left her features. Hikari nodded, slowly, sadly.

"What about her?" she asked quietly, cupping her elbow with her hand as she drew her arms toward herself.

He closed his eyes.

Hikari hated the thickness developing in her throat. "All right…" She stopped herself from falling with difficulty. "I won't stop you."

Sasuke opened his eyes and lifted his chin. The irony of the situation hit him profoundly. Here again he was determined to cross the threshold, forward being the only direction he saw fit to move in. _I've been striving for nearly a decade to find what Sakura kept promising and what Naruto kept screaming about at the top of his idiotic lungs._ He wanted to find it now. Needed to. Resolve hardening, he approached Hikari's lonely looking figure and extended his hand. She looked at what it offered her. It was his mask.

"Sasuke?" she ventured tentatively, uncertain. She took it.

"When you reach the others…" he trailed off. Hikari only hugged it to her chest absently and nodded. She watched, with a twinge of sadness, as Sasuke disappeared into the deepening shadows.

* * *

Hyuuga Neji sat in the tree, each leg on either side of the branch, his fingers absently twirling and playing with a kunai. Nimble and quick, he flipped the small knife over and over again fluidly between his fingers. Occasionally he'd flip it up in the air, catch it by the loop on the end before doing it again, all without once looking at it. An idle habit he never grew out of, it irritated his wife to no end. "Well, if it keeps you from going crazy. Just don't be too certain it won't do the same to me," she warned with a naughty little wink. He smirked at the memory. For her minor complaints, she was still a great girl even if she was only a civilian. It shocked his family when he married outside of the clan and even more so his friends when he chucked his singleton status at the early age of twenty-two. But to him, she was just what he needed to contrast his dour personality. And honestly he'd rather talk about things other than missions at the dinner table for a change.

His mind left the pleasant reverie, going back to the present. He stopped his handling of the knife to gaze down upon the refugees, Anzen nin and his own Konoha team milling about below. Eyes going to each face in turn, he saw the bone deep weariness permeating through each. Normally noisy children were subdued, half-curled in their mothers' laps, the youngest sucking on their thumbs. Older children just leaned against their parents, eyes open and staring ahead at nothing. Neji's eyes followed the Heishi woman as she made her way from tiny family to lonely individual, offering support where she could in a gesture, a touch or a kind word. Eventually she herself succumbed to her exhaustion, settling with an almost bodily slump under a tree. Mildly alarmed, Neji began to sit up when the woman swayed and started to slide to the ground. He didn't need to. Yuki appeared beside his elder sibling, catching her gently and letting her head lay on his lap.

Shifting away from them, he glanced at the almost distant vigilant silhouette of Akira. The clan leader had taken the first watch, choosing the highest, least exposed point to perch on. He remained steadily adamant about watching over his people, despite the black circles under his eyes and depleted chakra levels. Nobody stopped him in his insistence… his body would surrender itself to physical need in due course. If keeping watch was the only thing keeping him from losing his wavering resolve, no one wanted to object. Which was why Neji was sitting where he was now, silently doing his duty to his own and to the Anzen without shaking Akira's confidence in his own strength.

Beyond him Neji saw Lee moving around, scouting the fringes, keeping an eye out for anything unusual. He conversed with the other Anzen nin from time to time, using his ability to make even the saddest of heart smile to keep their morale up. Ino was doing the same thing from a more stationary position, reverting to her medical status as she went around tending injuries and assuring any child who asked, yes, things were okay, they were going to _be_ okay and to keep strong. Neji knew she was probably just telling them that because she herself needed to hear it, not that she truly believed in her own words. She constantly touched her short, matted pale blonde hair, raking her fingers through it nervously at times rubbing a fingertip over a small cut on her upper cheek.

Tenten was sleeping soundly under a birch tree. Her various puncture wounds were dressed, the bandages completely smothering every exposed part of her skin except for her head, hands, feet and face. It had taken all the painkillers that dared be safely administered to her just so the poor kunoichi could sleep. Even from here he could see her wincing in her repose, body involuntarily twitching with each minor spasm wracking her petite frame. The wounds were not deep, _his_ eyes could see that, and if she had to she could still fight. He fervently hoped with the way things were now, she would never have to. In her current condition, she had the will yet lacked the stamina.

Neji's gaze drifted further and there he found a reason to let a smile gently emerge. Naruto sat some ways from the injured woman, far enough away to give her her space close enough to protect her instantly should the need arise. He was sitting up and over in a sort of hunched position, eyes focused on the ground, appearing from all intents and purposes lost in thought. Kami only knew what was going on in his mind. Neji was sure it wasn't too different from what was going through his.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was pissed off. Nothing unusual about that, something or other irked him to no end and when all was said and done and shouted about, any amount of fist swinging and general butt kicking usually solved existing problems just fine. Yet somehow he had the feeling… he had the feeling none of those things were going to work right now. There was a difference in this, one he wanted to deny vehemently at the same time accepted with a strange kind of passivity. His anguish over their current situation was tearing him up inside. This was the first time in a long time he could remember feeling _so_ helpless. This monumental fearful feeling of powerlessness was frightening. He had fought so hard for so long and yet with a devastating will of its own, Anzen had crumbled into pieces under his very eyes, the clan's way of life, its very foundation, scattering like so much ash on the wind. Lives winked out like the lights in Konoha upon the fall of twilight - one by one - systematically, speedily. Click, click, click.

A bitter metallic taste settled on his tongue and he swallowed audibly. He shuddered, a barely perceptible tremor moving down through his body. Kyuubi cried out faintly against the sharp tang that he tasted in Naruto's blood, demanding he pull himself from this annoying funk staining his tenacity. A funk… he gritted his teeth together. As if this were some puerile game he had lost and was now twitching in his own dreaded throes of defeat.

_It's not lost yet,_ he reminded himself adamantly. _Look around you, where there's life there's hope, where there's hope there remains strength. _He took a deep breath. No, he would not let the forked tongue slither his way back into the gallows. The fox would not have it. _He_ would not have it.

Sitting up straighter, he felt an object in his pocket nearly stab him in the side with the abrupt movement. Expression twisting in discomfort, he dug into his pants and pulled it out. Holding it in his open palm, he gazed at it. It was a small forehead protector, the pieces of blue cloth worn and ragged, the metal plate rusted around the edges. The Leaf symbolizing the loyalty to its village was smudged, borne through only by a deep scratch, the old scar marring its surface. A tiny smile escaped his lips, nostalgia softening his deep blue eyes. Odd, how he had hung on to it for all of these years and yet he never really sat and just looked at it. He remembered thinking about how he had failed and how empty just holding the silly thing had made him feel. Every time he went to throw it away, it somehow found its way back into his pocket or under his pillow. To throw away the only piece of him was inconceivable to Naruto.

Heh, it was really stupid, he thought in mild reproof. Despite Kabuto's cryptic words, all he really had of the Uchiha was a young girl. Because of her simple existence, even just sitting beside her at Ichiraku's and watching her awkwardly tolerate Ichigo's frequent bear hugs of affection, Naruto had made his peace. Somehow the newborn love between two adolescents had finally allowed something old and tired in him to dissipate. Had allowed his heart to grow lighter than it had in years.

He wrapped his fingers around the headband and smiled his old self-satisfied Naruto grin. _Hell yeah._ The Kyuubi vessel stuffed the thing back into his pocket and drew his mind back to the present. Standing, he moved over to where Tenten lay to check on her. She appeared to be resting more easily now, her breaths slower and more even. The perpetual wince had smoothed, giving her expression a relaxed appearance. Good, he'd been worried she might have worsened. The last time he saw someone this cut up by senbon needles… he flinched at the thought. Better not to think about it, his own flesh still stung from where he'd had to pick out the ones he'd gotten rescuing Tenten, some he had Ino help pull out.

Satisfied the woman would be all right he glanced up toward Akira's lone figure again. _That stubborn baka, _he thought affectionately. Suddenly Akira stood up and jumped to the ground. He began hurrying down a nearby slope. Curiously Naruto followed him with his eyes. Halfway toward the top, he saw why. A younger woman had appeared at the beginning of the tree line and was steadily walking toward their little encampment. He frowned when he saw that no one else was with her and decided to investigate. He was aware of Neji following him.

"… decided to stay behind," Hikari was reporting to Akira when he drew near.

"So you let him go alone!" the clan leader exclaimed, shocked and dismayed.

"I didn't _let_ him!" Hikari sounded like she was trying to make up her mind between tears and rage. She whispered. "You know him. To stop him would sully the respect I have for him… and I'd rather die than betray that."

Behooved, Akira buried his forehead in his hands, shaking his head slowly. "That stupid son of a bitch," he muttered. "He's like a turkey chick trapped in a rainstorm."

Hikari saw Naruto standing there and approached him. For the first time he saw what she was holding and blinked when she offered it out to him. It was a wolf mask. Puzzled he took it from her, his face asking.

"He wanted to tell you," she replied. "But he was afraid you wouldn't trust him… if you knew who he really was."

He listened to her, the words coming forth from her dreamspeak, brutally pulling him back to the sound of roaring water, searing chakra and cold, crimson eyes. Then he did know. The force of this revelation slammed into Naruto with the intensity of a Rasengan. He physically felt his lungs deflate, starved and for a moment he thought his heart had stopped beating.

_"You might want to ask your faceless friend…"_

Naruto shook, clutching the mask so hard it began to crack under his grip. So all this time, all along… "_Teme_," he ground out, nearly growling. Hikari looked on with vague concern but when he looked up at her again, she was shocked to see tears in the corners of his sky colored eyes. All at once his tense, stiff muscles palliated and his taut frame slowly loosened. "_Arigato_, Ashita-san," he told her, giving her the mask back. Looking back at Neji, he told him with his eyes where he was going. The other man nodded. He knew, had known.

Naruto charged down the hill at a dead run. Akira called out to him to no avail. Torn, confused, he turned back to Neji helplessly. Unmoved, the Hyuuga only folded his arms. Letting the words die in his throat, Akira gazed in the direction his ally had disappeared. For a long, vexatious time, he did not speak. Hikari drew beside her fellow clansman and rested a hand on his shoulder.

* * *

_"Do you think a man can ever go home again?"_

Branches, leaves, light and shadows passed unseen beneath his feet. Encountering a broad limb he could not brush out of the way, he grabbed onto it and swung.

_"I think… if a man's chosen path leads him there, then he was meant to all along."_

Naruto cursed under his breath. He should have seen it, recognized it. The evidence had been there right before his eyes, hell, it'd whispered so loudly within it might as well have been screaming. His voice, deeper, richer much older yet still carrying trace nuances and inflections ringing so clearly. How could he have ignored the signs? _How was it possible that he had not suspected a thing?_

How could he have been so blind?

None of that mattered now. If he felt ready to face him, to take accountability for his deceit, then Naruto was naught to deny him of it. He did not know what he would do when he would find him, what he would say… if words indeed would be of any use.

* * *

Sasuke stopped at the edge of a rock face, which gave him a significant overview of the smoking valley below. The thick, acrid, tangy smell of burning wood and leaves whispered across the breeze. He brought his narrow gaze up, gazing out to the horizon, far away across the valley to the mountains on the other side. Katana used to do this, pick the furthest point and gaze at it. "As long as I can see the thing furthest from me," she'd said, "then I know I can reach it." She had smiled. "And you can see forever on a clear day."

He felt the fiery chakra before he knew the man was standing several feet behind him. A thud of feet hit the ground reached his years followed by faint scrape of them upon graveled rock.

Sasuke quietly drew in his breath and let it out. Gradually he turned and faced the newcomer.

* * *

Naruto plunged out of the treeline onto the rocky ledge, intending to use it to gain his bearings. He was surprised to see a dark figure already standing there. Freezing where he was, he stared at the other's back, his breath stilling. He was still wearing the unmarked ANBU uniform, hands at his sides though he could see he was wearing a long kobun, one that reminded him of another he had seen on someone else.

When he moved around to face Naruto, the onyx eyes burned into his mind, gazing fixedly upon him. There was darkness in those depths, an unyielding paradox of mystery and heat simmering just under the surface. His face - older yet still beautiful and haunted enhanced by the moonlit night surrounding them - was blank and expressionless. He saw from the faint laugh lines that had not been there before the lone wolf had learned something new in his travels. Then he smirked. Suddenly Naruto realized he had known this man for years.

He made his feet move and he drew close as he dared to the Uchiha. His hesitancy seemed to amuse Sasuke. Even with the smirk gone, the wicked twinkle in his eyes told the truth. The _teme_ was laughing at him.

The Kyuubi vessel sighed through his nose, head lowering somewhat. He smiled to himself and then brought his head up again. He was aware of Sasuke's eyes on him as he moved to stand next to the other man, gazing down into the valley. They began their descent.


	23. Fools and Desperate Measures

They moved through the trees, the light impacts of their feet upon the bark and the hushed whisper of leaves being brushed aside the only sounds interrupting the tranquility. The dark haired shinobi was ahead of the blonde only by a few feet, keeping a discreet distance, measured equally by the distance the other was giving him. While finding it acceptable, both felt the hollow gap between them yawning like the dark mouth of a fault line.

Sometime toward the middle of the evening, Sasuke came to a stop, one hand leaning on the trunk of a tree. Behind him he heard Naruto stop almost at the same time, one branch over and slightly below him. He glanced behind him and down at his former teammate's face. Even in the darkness, Naruto's brilliant blue eyes had never wavered from the other ninja. He tried to read through the wall he'd thrown up and saw a guarded wariness he understood like his own shadow. His head dipped and he realized they couldn't go into this thing the way they were. Very quietly he let out his breath, disliking the unsteadiness of the sound. Reluctantly he leapt down to the branch Naruto was standing on. Staying in profile, he couldn't look at Naruto at first. Still a coward. Always a coward.

Naruto was coming toward him. He fought the urge to flee with great difficulty.

"Sasuke."

When he didn't respond, Naruto made fists of his hands to hide their trembling. He took one deep breath and let it out. He let the other see it coming so he could decide on his own what he wanted to do about it.

Sasuke was slammed against the trunk, taking the full brunt of the punch. He slid down part way and pushed up again with one hand. No sooner had he regained his balance, Naruto was there in a second, grabbing his collar and shoving him against the tree again hard. He struck the former Avenger again, in the face and the stomach, each blow harder than the last. The blow to his gut knocked the wind out of him and he coughed up blood. However Naruto wasn't finished. He grabbed him around the throat and pushed him against the trunk so he couldn't draw a breath. Sasuke instinctively grabbed Naruto's wrists when he felt him begin to squeeze. He closed his eyes. He supposed it was only fair. _It's no less than what I deserve._

"You're a bad fucking liar, Uchiha." Naruto growled, shaking him a little like a dog. The thickness in his voice told the Uchiha he was having a hard time dealing with the emotions tearing through him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, inundated. "…Shit." Sasuke just stared lifelessly, hopelessly at Naruto. He was shocked, then, when suddenly Naruto yanked him in and wrapped both arms around his shoulders, hugging him so hard he could scarcely draw in breath.

Sasuke literally went limp. He was relieved and deeply frustrated at the same time. Dammit Naruto wasn't supposed to be _hugging_ him. He was supposed to be raging at him and beating the hell out of him, not fighting back a sob and clinging to him pathetically like some long lost relative. His mind could not comprehend Naruto still clinging on to a dead friendship. And here he was trying like hell. Fighting like hell.

_Just like the dobe… trying to grab on to what he thinks he can get just because he wants it._

Naruto clung to his former (former, Kami how he hated the word) friend. He shouldn't be doing this but… damn it all this was _Sasuke_. Once a bastard always a bastard… Naruto didn't see the years the way Sasuke did, not in the same way. Always he sought to keep the only promise he ever broke, even left back to the past. It wasn't about revisiting the pain and hurt he left behind with the two people who had locked him away inside their hearts. Sasuke was already broken - he could see it in the man's face. What more could another punch prove? Things were so different and yet still so horribly the same. He held on for a moment longer before admitting time moved on and so should they. Naruto sat back and stood up.

Sasuke risked looking up at him, wondering.

"We're not finished yet." Naruto was oddly remote for the affinity he had shown a second before. "But I'm willing to push it to the side if you are."

Sasuke nodded.

Faintly amused, Naruto exhaled noisily. "How long are you going to keep up the silent act, _teme_?"

"As long as you keep being a loudmouth baka," Sasuke muttered in reply. "But that's never changed, has it?" He managed to sound rueful.

Hearing this from what he had known to be a stony individual, Naruto found a strange unexpected joy. He responded with a wide grin. "Ne, hell no. That goes against everything I stand for! Heh." He extended his hand out to the former Avenger. Sasuke hesitated before reaching out and grasping it, allowing the man to pull him to his feet. He wiped the blood on his mouth away with the back of his hand. A sudden, sharp pain stabbed him in the neck, one he hadn't felt in years, one he immediately recognized.

_So he still wants to tug my puppet strings._

Naruto saw Sasuke wince and instinctively reach up to touch the spot on his neck. Foreboding fluttering, he quietly spoke. "He's close by isn't he."

Sasuke nodded painfully.

"Do you think you can…"

"I have to." Sasuke ground out through his teeth. He hated the cold sweat beading on his skin. "This is my last loose end. There's no hope of putting this behind me if I don't destroy him." He took a deep, steadying breath. "Naruto, it takes a lot for a man to admit when he can't do it alone. I've… been doing it for years now and I still can't."

"Nah." Naruto couldn't believe that the Uchiha couldn't see this about himself. "You may be a fuck-up but you did one hell of a job with that little girl."

Sasuke shook his head. "I… could have done better."

Naruto laughed. "Heh, I don't believe that for a minute. You want an example of bad parenting? Half the time I just let Sakura-chan do all the work."

It must have shown on Sasuke's face because Naruto cringed like he'd been caught doing something wrong. He rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh, _long_ story."

The Uchiha relaxed, although the implication for some reason made his stomach sink with a sickening slowness. _No time for this. _The sting was ebbing now and he felt a lot steadier on his feet. Orochimaru must have gotten that Sasuke had heard his 'call' and let off. _At least I know where to go now. _He nodded at Naruto and the two took off once again through the dense foliage.

Things probably would never be okay between them. Both understood that much. Still even with the past heavy in the air and the very real possibility of their deaths before the dawn to come… for some weird reason they rejoiced anyway. Maybe it was because of the discreet smiles that were forming on their lips that they did not let the other see. They were both fools that went without saying.

Somehow neither man could bring himself to care.

* * *

The village where our client lived was modest by village standards. Its influence and profit holdings were small but substantial enough for it to seek out the aide of ninja. They usually dealt with Konoha, if the sole reason it was close at hand and under Konoha's radar (which I took to mean shorthand for a 'place we can keep an eye on'). They were currently attempting some sort of political acrobatics by sending out an emissary to another village to secure relations as well as goodwill. That's where we came in. The daimyo sending this emissary admitted when we met up with him he didn't mean to embarrass anyone by asking for Genin however due to budget constraints, he had to make do with what he could afford. "Back in the early days we used to hire missing nin," he confessed. "But if we want to secure any kind of legitimacy, we need to deal under the umbrella of honor." 

Inwardly I bristled at his ludicrous statement. _What did he know?_ I formerly numbered among those ranked 'unhonorable' and yes missing nin _were_ cheaper to buy but they did the job same as anyone else. When you need the money, you'll go a hundred percent for it, believe me. Wisely, despite my hackles raising, I kept my outrage to myself. Like my father always said no need to screw yourself by bitching the rich man out. I never liked the attitude of nobles (hence my lack of interest in the frozen Uchiha assets) and disliked dealing with them immensely. As I recalled, Otosan _hated_ them; he used to stare at them like he wanted to kill them, no matter if they were the ones paying him. When I was younger and when I was old enough to help him, the second I heard that condescending tone, I verbally lashed out at the person. We'd sometimes lose a job on account of my mouth. After the first three times it happened, Otosan took me aside, looked me right in the face and promised me if I didn't hold my tongue, I would have to learn sign language.

Thankfully the emissary wasn't of the same attitude as his master. Well-traveled, in his mid-thirties and dressed in the appropriate road attire, Takami Minoru was easy enough to get along with. Ichigo immediately gravitated toward the man, listening wide-eyed to the tales he told him as we went along. Kakashi brought up the rear to keep his eye on all of us at the same time. Takashi and I flanked, keeping track of the sides and the front.

"You know, we really shouldn't have to do _all_ the work here," Takashi muttered to me out of the corner of his mouth. "Tree boy isn't minding his surroundings at all."

He was right. "I'll take care of it." I scooped up a small rock in passing and whipped it at the squirrel. It struck. Ichigo yelped and clutched his lower back, turning to glare at the both of us, his expression saying 'what the hell!'

I returned it.

'I am!' he mouthed indignantly before turning back round. So ended another Battle of the Pebbles.

Sigh. From the looks of the way things were going this mission was looking to be a run-of-the-mill textbook maneuver. Not that I was complaining … a life on the high and low roads embittered me toward the dynamics of the every day. This mediocrity was refreshing. Despite Ichigo's occasional whine and Takashi's bored gaze, I managed to find a way to enjoy myself.

"You're smiling a lot." You had to hand it to Kakashi… he had shocking the living daylights out of a person with abrupt conversation down pat. I managed to school back my surprise this time.

He tilted his head slightly. "You haven't been whining like the other two have been, if you can call Takashi's pouts whining."

So he noticed too. "Na… those two just can't appreciate the benefits of a good old-fashioned stroll." I looked up through the treetops, watching the sun wink rapidly above. "You miss a lot when you're fighting all the time." I regarded him again. "My father used to think I was flippant when after we'd been through hell, I'd comment that at least 'the sunset was pretty' or 'good thing there was a full moon tonight.' Maybe I was just disconnecting from the violence, I don't know. If it was enough to allow me to get a good night's sleep, I'd tuck it away and never think about it again." I shook my head, disregarding the interest my sensei seemed to have in my little discourse. "It's amazing I haven't lost my mind yet."

Kakashi shrugged without shrugging. "Some ninja don't even know when it stops bothering them or that it ever bothered them at all. It doesn't mean you enjoy it. A ninja is supposed to be able to find that balance - and understand the difference."

"So if a ninja enjoys killing, they're nothing but a murderer?"

"What do you think?" he asked right back.

I took the time to think upon it. I remembered the ex-Sand nin and some of the high level missing nin I'd met over the years. The blood lust hazed eyes, the malicious grins stretching across crazed expressions, the depraved, belly-deep laughs. "I'd think there was something very wrong with that person."

He eye-grinned. "Good answer."

Our parlay was cut short by a shout from up front. "_Oi_, when are we gonna stop for eats? We've been walking for four hours now. I'm starving!"

Our sensei dissented. "We can still make another few miles before nightfall." Ichigo made a dissatisfied grunt. "You'll survive until then, believe me."

The client grinned. "I take it this is their first escort mission?" he called back to Kakashi, gently amused.

"What gave them away?"

Takami-san laughed and mussed Ichigo's hair. The scruffy squirrel harrumphed and sharply jutted his lower jaw out, making no secret of his outer indignation. A light blush appeared across the bridge of his nose. I couldn't blame Ichigo for getting antsy. He was bored out of his mind and the affects of his impatience were now becoming a source of jest. I sincerely hoped he wouldn't boil over and start one of his frustration laced rants. If he did, I'd have to utilize some form of taijutsu to subdue him. Or use some of my extra bandages to create a muzzle. _Actually the second idea sounds like more fun._

Noticing for the first time Takashi had inexplicably fallen behind me, I dropped back a ways. I smiled when he glanced at me. His amber eyes went to the ground immediately and narrowed slightly. Playfully I elbowed him. "Penny for your thoughts?"

He didn't lift his chin but I saw his eyes shift my way again. They went back to the ground before he shrugged for the second time. The response was gradual. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"…Nothing."

"Liar."

"…Hn."

"C'mon." I didn't give up. "A hint?"

Finally I got the full eye contact treatment. "You're being unusually social today."

"It's a nice day."

"Oh… um, yeah, I guess it is." Suddenly he seemed to grow nervous. Hands went into pockets and he moved his shoulders around. I noted all of this with curiosity piqued. Takashi seemed very hesitant whenever he talked alone with me. In fact this was starting to happen quite often lately. I tapped my chin with my finger, studying his profile for a few moments. I decided to experiment.

I tripped.

Surprised, Takashi grabbed my hand and pulled me up. Pulling a bit too much, I stumbled for real. I fell against him and for a moment our bodies touched. Takashi turned scarlet, speedily grasped my shoulders and pushed me gently to my own feet. Smiling, I thanked him, causing the red to deepen and his pace to quicken. He muttered under his breath something unintelligible. Over folded arms, I watched him go.

Well. That was… interesting.

And what did I know what to do with this new information? Absolutely nothing. _Better for him to keep it to himself,_ I thought ruefully. _Let it die with dignity, in silence._ _Kami knows the shit that'd get stirred up between them if Ichigo ever found out._ Takashi was too smart not to know that something like this would hurt our teamwork. Now that I had gotten my confirmation, I would do nothing to encourage it. Outside of that, I was deeply flattered. In this small display, the walking icon of repression had revealed to me something deeply personal, even though it hadn't been his willful intention. I didn't want to but I really _did_ feel bad for him… and somewhat perplexed too, truth be told. I had not anticipated this at all.

I caught up again, touching his arm. "_Oi_. You in hurry?"

"Ah, no." He watched me for a moment, looked on the verge of asking something then closed his mouth again.

I watched him back expectantly, waiting.

At war, Takashi let out a puff of air, shaking his head. "You…" he began and stopped again. He scratched the back of his neck, searching the air hanging in front of him. Whatever it was, he found it. "Have you done escort missions before? I mean before you came to live in Konoha."

Blink. So that's what this was about. I'd been wondering when he'd pony up the courage to ask me about my life "out there." I was kind of happy to oblige. Ichigo wasn't much on asking about it. It was one of his few tactful habits when it came to me although I'd never asked him not to inquire about it. Maybe he was too scared? That seemed hard to believe.

"If you mean by 'escort' you mean 'bodyguard'… _Hai_. Not alone." I answered his startled reaction. "I wasn't strong enough to take on the difficult tasks. My part was tag-along and taking care of the loose ends."

"Loose ends?"

"The low-end scum gunning for our client. It was only after I turned ten that I started joining on some of the more dangerous jobs." I absently plucked the bowstring across my chest (yes I never leave home without it).

"Oh." Pause. "So what _were_ those jobs?"

My eyes remained on the path ahead of me. I did not deign to reply nor was I about to. For a long time, we went on this way in complete silence. Hesitantly he gradually walked closer to me. His questing thoughts were visible behind his troubled exposition. His eyes closed briefly and the moment passed. I saw him view me again from a distance, as if uncertain of what to make of me now. Leaving it unresolved he simply sped up his steps and paced himself with Kakashi. He glanced back once.

If there was one thing I appreciated about Hayabusa Takashi was his ability to hear the unsaid. From my nonreply he had learned more than what he bargained for. Bringing up the rear once again, my stomach turned over uncomfortably. I was beginning to regret what I'd said. There was a bitter taste in my mouth, like the metallic piquancy of blood. How could he reconcile what he knew about me now from what he'd thought he'd known? Would he treat me differently? I didn't know and it was agonizing.

The heated hand of the sun bright open road was replaced again by another forest. Takami-san shouldered his daypack and informed the rest of us cheerfully that we were making good time. We would most likely reach the bridge connecting the two small countries' lands well before sunset if we kept up this pace.

"If my feet don't fall off first…" muttered a very disgruntled Ichigo. His surly response made the older man chuckle. Glad the idiot amused _someone_ around here.

_This shade feels nice. _It was good to be out of the sun.

Such bliss never lasts. The only warning I received was the cold lick of his chakra signature. I spun, glimpsed the attacker moving just behind me, dropped to the ground in a crouch, stuck my leg out and kicked his legs out from under him.

The rest of my team spun around in unison, just in time to see what was happening. Suddenly appearing from the shadows of the trees, they moved in a deadly systematic manner, covering every easy exit through the trees, above and below. They were shrouded in black, covering everywhere except for the eyes. When they moved, they were impossible to track through the naked eye alone.

_Good thing I've got the cure for that._

At our sensei's shouted behest, Ichigo moved to defend our (very frightened) client, his kunai brandished at the ready. While fending off the blows of one of the ninja engaging him, Kakashi told Takashi to cover one side of the path while he took the other. He looked around for me, saw what I was doing and promptly concentrated on his own opponent.

I steadily deflected the enemy's relentless punches until he successfully backed me against a tree. I threw my arms over my head suddenly and cringed. "Don't hurt me!" I squeaked.

Thrown off, the ninja paused. There was one born every minute, I swear.

_Now!_ I reached into the back collar of my shirt found the pocket I'd sewn for it and pulled it out fast. Pointing it at him, I depressed the seal release. He screamed in pain and immediately grabbed at his eyes. It left the opportunity open for me to disable him, first with a kick and a speedy punch to the head. He was out for the count. I didn't stop to gloat. There were two others making for me. I grinned fiercely and lit off into the treetops. A rain of kunai and shuriken followed.

Moving out on an open branch, I measured the amount of space I had. Good. This would have to do. Five were now coming in for an intercept. _Let's see if they're fireproof. _I made the hand seals, pinched my thumb and forefinger over my mouth to channel it accurately. Three abandoned their trajectory. Unfortunately the remaining two couldn't dodge the flames fast enough; their bodies plunged through the canopy, black-gray smoke and bits of debris trailing after. I didn't watch.

Now before those three recover… I made the single hand seal for it. "_Kage Bunshin no jutsu_!"

Handing my bow and arrow off to my clone, she quickly disappeared amongst the leaves. Soon after the three shadow ninja appeared again. I moved my feet apart and narrowed my eyes, hands up and ready. The three surrounded me in a triangular fashion. My eyes darted from one to the other in a calculating fashion. _No, this definitely wasn't good._

"Is she the one?" asked the one behind me.

"She's got the eyes. It's the right one." I heard the one to my right mutter.

_ I'm an 'it' now? _Oh somebody wanted to get hurt _bad_.

"You sure?" doubted the other, from my left.

"_Hai_. You run into one of them, you don't forget it."

I didn't like the sound of this… and its thousands of implications. Screw it. I clenched my teeth together behind my lips. "Who the hell are you guys?"

"Bad language for a little girl." This time the remark came from the one behind me.

A hint of movement appeared at the corner of my mouth. "You haven't heard anything yet, asshole. Answer the question."

The one to the right volunteered. "We represent a smaller part to a greater whole," he spoke with gleeful satisfaction. "We are without face and without aim."

My heart raced, my pulse throbbed. I had to lock my knees to keep my legs from buckling. _Shit._ I knew that motto like I knew to avoid bad poetry and shake out my sandals before putting them on. These folks weren't just a marauding team of bandits out for kicks robbing ninja. _These_ creeps were the shadow ninja between Anzen no Chi Mori and the river. What made them famous in the underworld wasn't their flashy identity obscuring outfits or their horridly effective ambush tactics. It was their choice of target and the way it went to say, they ate high level ninja for _breakfast_.

_This mission has gone so far out of the way of normal_, I thought with an inner grumble._ Damn. I was really enjoying myself. Bastards…I swear they exist just to ruin my day._

Of course it didn't mean I had to put up with it. _Naturally._ Looking calmly over my shoulder at the Atokata member behind me, I smirked.

"_Caro meus id comedit_."

_Thwst! _His eyes bulged and he pitched forward. As he fell, the arrow sticking out of his back told the whole story. My clone had gotten into sniper position. Perhaps things would go my way after all.

The next few minutes were a dodging game for the last two as arrow after arrow pierced through, sticking into wood and hissing past leaves. My clone didn't stay in one place and moved stealthy and unseen between shots so no one arrow came from the same direction twice.

Suddenly one of them popped up behind me and got me in chokehold. "Call off the dog, little girl."

"Fuck off."

Cupping hand over fist, I rammed my elbow into his stomach and flipped him over my head. Due to his height and weight, it was an awkward maneuver, consequently allowing him to find purchase on the branch I was standing on. With an ease and grace enviable, he flipped back up the other way, landed back on the branch and dealt me a sharp hit to the midsection. I had enough time to protect my abdomen from the blow but I could do nothing about the ensuing, uncontrolled plunge to earth. Dimly I could make out a puff of smoke, indicating my clone had expired.

Two seconds shy of impact, a blur registered briefly into my peripheral vision. My whole body experienced a sickening, nausea inducing physical jolt - for a terrible, nauseated moment I thought I had snapped my spine. At that point I realized I hadn't hit anything. Someone had caught me. Dazed, my vision struggled back into focus.

Kakashi.

He was moving at an immense rate of speed. I didn't think anyone alive could move that fast. Well, except for maybe one other person. _Why this always happens to me, I'll never know. _Dizzy,I shut my eyes against it and reached up to clasp my sensei's shoulder. He looked at me, read the message, leapt to the ground and set me on my feet. Fighting off the queasiness, I absently touched my side and nodded my thanks, too out of breath to speak. Kakashi simply Looked at me, the stern reprimand not needing voice. _Yeah I fucked up, no need to rub it in._

"_Gomen nasai_…" I began breathlessly. But the man held up a hand, stopping me. I closed my mouth, took a deep breath, nodded and obeyed the hand signal to follow him back to the rest of the team. It wasn't over yet.

* * *

It made sense now. He had doubted before - doubted strongly - yet there was no more help for ignoring the truth. The Uchiha girl was definitely not the average Genin. During the bell training he'd seen glimpses. Watching her spar with Ichigo, in the heat of the moment, she always stopped just short of killing him. Even though he was someone she deeply cared for, she could allow herself to go that far. He'd seen the wary eye Takashi favored the girl with after those few incidents (since he himself had been at the receiving end of several). Although he was a young boy of little experience even _he_ could see it. 

It was as he had suspected - and perhaps had known intuitively all along. Her mind and personality was like that of any girl her age but her movements and the way she fought was a different story altogether. He had watched her deal with her attackers without hesitating once. _She's not Genin level, _he thought, stealing a discreet look behind him. _Naturally it's to be expected given her upbringing. It's hard _not_ to think of Sasuke watching her… she more than just resembles him. _

But he wasn't worried. Katana wasn't without the capacity to grow beyond what she had known and fought for and with during the first twelve years of her short life. It's something they would all work on together…

BOOM!

…Amongst other things.

"UZUMAKI, WOULD YOU WATCH IT WHERE YOU'RE AIMING THAT THING!"

_Ah yes,_ he thought with tired amusement. It would take more than one of them to tame _this_ three-headed beast.

* * *

Takashi didn't how he managed to shield Takami-san from the splinters of debris flying through the air and form a hand seal for a wind elemental attack to deflect most of it at the same time. Typically he operated first on instinct and later on ruminating on what had been done and how it could or could not have been done differently. When it came to battle, as things stood, actions first and questions later was generally the best policy to live by. It was especially constitutive in regards to one certain fellow Genin. At this rate losing focus around the moron made him almost more dangerous than the strange nins they were fighting! That _had_ to be saying something. 

Through squinted, shielded eyes, he did a ninety-degree scan of the immediate area. So much dust and dirt had been thrown up it was virtually impossible to make out the surrounding woodland clearly. Slowly a few rays of sunshine slivered through the gaps, allowing the visibility to restore gradually. From where he stood, he observed that Ichigo had skewered a hole through the body of a large tree, his arm sticking out on the other side. The Hayabusa boy shook his head; whoever had taught the moron such a powerful attack must have failed to advise the brainless wonder that a jutsu should only be used in lieu of successful mastery of said jutsu. Trust Ichigo to defy convention and common sense all in one go.

"Is he crazy?" The cringing emissary yelled pressing himself against the sparse shelter of the tree the Genin had driven him toward for extra protection.

Takami-san didn't need to state the obvious. He gave their client a blandly sick smile in an impecunious attempt at reassurance. Why, when he wasn't sure of things himself? Moving more ably to guard, he stood, his own knife brandished at the ready. His amber orbs shifted from one direction to the other, sweat beading and slipping down his face. His breath was loud and hollow, ghosting heatedly across the knuckles clutching the handle of kunai near his nose until they were bone white with tension.

With a brutal wrench, Ichigo tore his limb free from the thick bark, parting upon a sharp cry at the fruition of this action. Splinters flew. He took a moment to stare at his hand, somewhat amazed. "_Suzushii_."

One of the clad nins loomed up over the smaller boy, appearing as if from the very air itself. Takashi opened his mouth to shout a warning, however Ichigo somehow sensed the enemy's sudden, silent approach. He spun around and delivered a swift upper cut followed by a jaw-dropping roundhouse that completely knocked his opponent out cold. Landing, he panted and moved back over to where Takashi was safekeeping their cowering client.

"How the hell did you do that?" Takashi couldn't help blurting, shifting his position and allowing his teammate to pretense the other direction.

"I have no idea!" The smirking face of the other boy met his, a vague fierceness to his grimly cheery façade. His torrid green eyes flicked a trace of orange and this time Takashi was absolutely sure of what he was seeing was real and not an illusion. Something was up with this kid.

But there was no time for that triviality; the enemy was starting to renew their attack. Using two fingers, Takashi indicated where he sensed the direction they would be coming. Uzumaki nodded and reached for his shuriken. He drew back in readiness. "You all right, sir?" he asked Takami-san without looking down at him.

"_H-hai_."

"Good. Just stay right where you are and don't move."

"It never occurred to me to do otherwise!" No doubt about it, the dangerous interlude was making the goodwill man very testy. Takashi couldn't blame him… this situation sucked. He was starting to worry about their sensei and Katana… neither one had appeared for an alarmingly long time. Due to his panic, he couldn't tell one forthcoming chakra imprint from another.

"Geez, lighten up." Ichigo mumbled and resisted kicking their client from behind.

Suddenly Takashi tensed. "Ichigo."

"Yeah, I know." Because their arms were touching, he felt his teammate's body still.

But the two bodies that emerged from above to land before them weren't the enemy. Kakashi and Katana. They relaxed. "Wonder what the heck happened to you guys," Ichigo said. No more could be said after that. The clearing had now filled with over twenty of the black clothed ninja, surrounding and blocking every possible escape route. They were trapped… again.

"How many of them _are_ there?" Takashi muttered.

Katana held up her kobun, which already had blood glistening on its edge. "It's hard to say. It's part of their strategy."

"Strategy?" Ichigo glanced at her scarcely. "You know who these guys are then?"

"Aa. The Atokata."

Takashi glared at the nearest one. "Suitable."

"The Atokata?" My boyfriend queried, glancing at our sensei for help.

Kakashi didn't look at him but his eyes (he had uncovered his other eye) did narrow. "The Atokata are one of the most wanted mercenary groups in the bingo book. Most ninja never run into them because they keep their level of activity to a minimum. You could say they're picky about who they ambush. I've never personally encountered them before."

"Picky huh?" Ichigo gave our shivering charge a token glance. "Any reason why these guys would be after you?"

Takami-san folded his arms more securely around himself. "W-We've never had any dealings with them before. I-I couldn't even begin to fathom why they would be attacking me."

"They're not interested in _you_." Everyone looked at Katana. "They're after _me_."

"You?" Ichigo was astonished. Her emotionless tone and the unutterable certainty in her bland expression inordinately frightened him. "Why would they be after _you_?"

But the girl shook her head. "_Do demo ii._ They're not having me."

The members of the Atokata could take no more of the stand off. As one unit they moved in on the four ninja and emissary. Immediately they set to separating them again, kicking and punching, luring and leading. Takashi ducked and dodged, pushing back, desperately trying to keep his teammates in visual range. Three were fanning Kakashi in one direction while two kept blocking Ichigo's route every time he attempted to run after her, Katana whom was being herded deeper in forest away from them.

_Thnk! Thnk!_ He dodged to avoid the small shuriken stabbing the trees he used as barriers. Well, one calls for another as they say. Takashi made a few quick seals - this was a cheap parlor trick at best - and summoned an earth jutsu to direct the tree roots sticking out of the soil to twin around the legs of his adversaries. It would only last a few moments, hopefully giving him enough time to catch up to Katana. Bolting out from behind his shelter once he was sure they weren't about to follow him forthwith, Takashi set off after his female teammate.

* * *

Ichigo watched Takashi manage to break away from his enemies and set off after Katana. Good, he thought, grunting as his back connected with a harsh thud against the trunk of a tree. _Now if I can only get these creeps off me, I can go help!_ Easier thought than done. He shoved his kunai, criss-crossed with the one the Atokata member was using to pin him, his clothes scraping loudly against the rough bark, catching in places. Clenching his teeth together in a fierce snarl, jade eyes dark with animalistic rage, he threw his whole weight behind his kunai. His enemy's narrowed eyes invariably locked with his own, abruptly, oddly widened in fear - as if he had seen something frightening. Not knowing and not caring, he used the minute distraction to knock the other nin's arm out of the way. 

His fist connected with ribs and he automatically twisted his other free hand into the man's tunic. Not really taking much notice of what he was doing, he grasped the garment until he had a good grip on the black fabric before lifting the man - who easily had eighty pounds over the smaller boy - well over his head. He paused a moment, the Atokata flailing around like a beetle on its back, arms and legs waving around. Swiftly he slammed him against the tree he had been trapped against previously. The tree shuddered from the impact. There was a cracking noise. Ichigo dropped the man. The nin's lungs made a breathy hissing noise before he went quiet. He did not move again.

Face still ablaze and eyes cycling between orange and green, Ichigo panted, sweating, staring at the body, his brain unable to wrap around what he had done. He wasn't even really thinking about the man being dead; he was just thinking about the strange strength he had summoned and wondering where it had come from. Hearing a noise, he instantly turned on it. Kakashi appeared behind him, having just caught up with the Genin. He didn't understand why the man seemed to freeze then, stare at him with a shocked sort of familiarity and bit horror. He took a few more deep breaths, said a simple "Sensei" before setting off in the direction Takashi and Katana had disappeared. He did not see Kakashi close his eyes briefly and open them again. He headed after his student, a shell-shocked Takami Minoru following at their heels.

* * *

At what point the fighting turned from attack and pursuit to just being plain old chased I couldn't begin to tell you. The more I dodged, the lesser openings I found. The time it took to make a maneuver successfully or even _partially_ shortened. Their proficiency was of the most deadly precision, one I'd never encountered before. Somehow they were able to adjust either aim or movement to suit _my_ actions, to _deflect_ them or to shift _my_ focus. All the taijutsu moves in my repertoire were gradually blocked with primed ease. Without my unique speed most if not all of my blows would not have landed at all. Speed was the only thing I had them beat at. It was the only advantage I had left - and I was starting to tire at an alarming rate. 

_Last resort,_ I thought reaching up to grab a tree limb to launch another tree top pursuit. I had some chakra left - barely just enough to execute one jutsu. At the moment there was only one I could think of that didn't require the chakra needed to perform it to full effect… not that I planned to under any means. No, I would not be such a desperate fool this time. All in the amount of place and position: I needed those two things in my favor and then… Then.

The rest of my team was trying to catch up, vainly. Ichigo's cursing echoed. Every now and again a blast of wind or a falcon cry would let me know Takashi was nearby as well. My heart skipped a beat at the sound of a thousand bird cries - and yet sank deeply at the knowledge fate could not be so kind. _Not to me…_ Nonetheless I mentally begged for Kakashi to catch up faster. I could not run forever and… and I was afraid now. Hunter nins were child's play compared to these quick killers and even against _them_ I was grossly outclassed.

_Light up ahead… I sense an opening…_ For some reason I found hope. Perhaps if I could just reach it, I could, maybe I would… _God, please, I'm begging you to let me make it at least that far!_

I did… almost. Plunging out into the wide open, I had enough time to register the small bridge several feet ahead before a cutting of air and something brutally catching my ankle brought me slamming bodily onto my stomach. My ankle twisted painfully and I cried out. Turning around halfway, I looked to see what had tripped me. A whip. The nin that had been carrying it appeared a second later, the gleeful glint in his eyes plain as day. Not one to idle, I grabbed the whip and yanked it toward me hard. He lost his balance and pitched forward. Using my knife, I hacked off the thick, leathery end and cast it aside. Free.

Just as I'd finished freeing myself, the nin recovered and made for me again. I tried to push myself up on my elbows and in my urgency to do so, sloppily tried to form some sort of seal at the same time. What it was I was trying to do barely registered. I didn't know _what_ I was trying to do to be frank!

"Katana!" Like some sort of avenging angel, Ichigo plunged out of the trees then, feet landing atop the whip-bearing nin's shoulders. Neatly he flipped, his hands changing places with his feet and it allowed him to somersault and kick the guy down. It was an interesting, hell, an _impressive_ maneuver! It was certainly something I'd never seen the perpetually inelegant Ichigo do before. Hitting ground, he regained his footing smoothly, not bothering to crow on his triumph over adversity. He was much too concerned with me.

"Katana? You okay?" he blurted, barely able to catch his breath, settling beside me.

"Yes I think my ankle's had it though." I palpated the area, wincing at the heat and the swelling that met my gently probing fingers. Aggravated I bit my bottom lip; it was a nasty sprain. No way was I running _anywhere_ now. Dammit.

Ichigo studied it critically. "Huh. Hold on…" he sat down more comfortably. "Can you move it at all?"

Wince. "Itai… A little bit."

"Oh good. Um, I'm… going to try something. Don't move."

I stared at him._ Try something? Try what? _Before I could open my mouth to ask, he brushed my hand away and placed his own warmer one over my ankle. Brow furrowed, he concentrated on the area. "Mom taught me how to do this," he spoke with some effort. A small amount of chakra swirled beneath his palm. "I'm not good at the big fancy healing techniques or any of the basic ones. But I can do this at least." Finishing, he took his hand away and relaxed. "Try moving it now."

I did. It still hurt badly and it felt stiff. The swelling _was_ gone however. The point was I could move it again. Not healed but still usable. Fairly mystified, I looked up at Ichigo who rubbed his nose sheepishly at the amazement on my face. "Heh, _gomen_. Guess I should've told you I could do that. I just really suck at it so… eh heh, I don't bother usually."

An underhanded compliment if I ever heard one. _I knew there was a reason I loved this insane bastard._ There would be time for recriminations later. I let him help me to my feet and he let me lean against him. Crashing noises denoted that we weren't going to be alone in a few precious seconds. We looked toward the forest beyond the unconscious Atokata member's body. I had my knife and Ichigo gripped two kunai tightly in his left hand, shifting to put himself between the forest and me.

Sigh. While I appreciated his chivalric gesture, given the circumstances I could not accept such a fatalistic tactic from my teammate. _It's not about one protecting another…it's a joint effort. _It was one of the few tried and true principles Otosan had inadvertently engendered upon me. So I stepped to his side and gently brushed against his arm when he thought to wordlessly resist.

Kakashi emerged first followed closely by Takashi and then Takami-san. They were in turn followed by at least twelve enemies in black pajamas. Falling into a protective formation, Takami-san allowed us to nudge him in the center of our circle. He seemed to have lost a lot of his skittishness from when the attack first began and appeared ready to do battle himself, unarmed or not. _Better to be safe than sorry. _Without looking I slipped a kunai out of my thigh holster and passed it behind me to the older man without looking. He accepted it without a word.

Three tense minutes passed by like an eternity. I could hear and feel every breath of air drawn and every caress of wind across my cool, clammy skin. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a sweat drop work its way down the faintly tan expanse of Ichigo's face. Takashi kept tensing his grip on his knife, fingers constantly opening and closing. Kakashi's back was to me so I couldn't check on his condition but I knew what his face must look like. Pulse racing, I wetted my lips and kept track of the men directly in front of me, warning them off with the whirling depths of my tapered red pupils.

Finally the one standing in front of me spoke. "This can all end real quick 'n' easy. Just hand over the girl and we'll let you go."

Hand over the _girl_? I trembled with rage. I wasn't a fucking second class citizen! "_Oi_ asshole," I hissed at him deadly, viciously. "_Labera lege_: I'm not theirs to hand over nor am I yours to steal away. State your business _with_ me _to_ me." Ichigo grunted his agreement.

"Katana…" My sensei tried to warn me off. He didn't want me antagonizing the enemy. Well, shoot. Considering that we're at a stalemate and _they_ were the ones who started this shit with us, I figured I was entitled to a bit of a return fire.

"And what makes you think you've got any say here?" he replied coolly, sounding amused. "You're outnumbered four to twelve, not counting the civilian there."

"Don't flatter yourself." I heard Takashi snarl. He whistled shrilly through his top teeth.

The reaction was nearly instantaneous. A kestrel swept out of the forest to the nin that had been speaking and collided talon first with the back of his head. It dug its claws in and hooked its beak in his hair and beat its small wings rapidly against the sides of his head. The man cried out and attempted to fend off the raptor vainly. Two Atokata actually abandoned their positions to help him out. You had to give them credit there at least the bastards cared about each other, though it still made them bastards.

Forever the man of opportunity, Kakashi decided to use this distraction to our benefit. "Katana, Ichigo, take Takami across the bridge. Takashi, stay with me for cover. Move!"

Nodding, Ichigo and I took our petrified client by the arms and half-shoved, half-pushed the man ahead of us. "Come on!"

The bridge we crossed was an old rickety wood and rope contraption that swung crazily with our quick clambering across it. It spanned over a raging river chasm that began several hundred feet below. Takami-san hastened first to the other side. Ichigo was behind him in a second. I paused in the middle to check on Kakashi and Takashi. They looked like they had their hands full. What caught my eye - what stopped me dead - was one of the nin had somehow sneaked past them and was _sawing at the ropes on the left side of the bridge._

_Oh… no…_ My heartbeat faltered. Ignoring my blonde teammate's shout of my name, I clenched my fists in anger and hurried back the other way, my feet thudding heavily on the flimsy boards. If he cut the bridge, our sensei and Takashi would have no way of reaching us. I was the only one with both hands free and close enough to stop him.

Desperately trying to close the distance, I flung some shuriken at him in an attempt to get him away from the ropes. Dismayingly, he avoided them and accelerated progress, raising his knife and bringing it down in one, deadly, clean cut. Sunlight flashed and glinted off the blade blindingly.

The sound of that rope snapping went straight through me. Part of the bridge went down although thankfully most of it still held enough to keep from collapsing. "Oh no," I whispered in horror, stilling, gripping both sides of the rope hand rails for dear life. Feeling helpless, I shouted to my battling comrades. "Sensei! Takashi!"

Kakashi noticed first. Quickly he finished dispatching his current adversary and hastened to drive off the bridge cutter. Motioned to Takashi to cross the bridge _now_. The kid wasted no time obeying, kicking aside the nin he was tangling with and raced across after me. Everyone was across now except for Kakashi. Intently we watched the other side, waiting for him to join us.

Eyes flashing again in that weird orangey way, Ichigo cupped his hands around his mouth. "Kakashi-sensei! Haul ass, man!"

More nin, inexplicably, were appearing on the opposite side, way too many now for one man to fight on his own. To flee or fight warred within my gut… I hated staying here and watching him go at it alone. Clearly he couldn't have anticipated this development. No, somebody had to go back and help him. The bridge still held; it would be no great risk.

_They're overwhelming him, damn girl this is no time for recourse calculation!_

My decision made, I bolted across the creaking, swinging bridge, ignoring the cries of my friends.

"Katana! Don't!"

"What are you doing! We have to stay here!"

_Yeah, _I thought,_ but that was before things got worse._ If you lived in the kind of world I came from you learned a few things, one of them being that sometimes you _can't_ think. You _can't_ follow orders. You can only _do_ even if sometimes you fuck it up in the process. And we all know how great I am at doing that!

Half to a quarter of the way to the end, two Atokata broke off from the melee (there were at least twenty now…. _where the hell did they keep coming from!)_ and headed for me. One raced ahead of the other, leapt over my head and blocked my way back. I halted. Crap. I was trapped. _Ding! Another move of brilliance from Uchiha Katana, famous Maker of Bad Decisions! Let's give her a round of applause for pulling the stupidest rescue stunt ever!_

"Katana!" Ichigo cried out, rushing forward a step, stopping, agonized between wanting to aid me verses his doubt and fear about how much weight the bridge could hold. Takashi thought this too because he moved at the same time and stopped short as well. But he had more presence of mind than tree boy, grabbing the other's arm to keep him from changing his mind. His wide, amber eyes met mine, begging me to come back. Sadly it was no longer possible.

"You're making this harder than it needs to be, little girl." It was that one again. "None of this need be."

Did these guys take some kind of classes in metrical rhetoric? I held out my long blade, keeping him at bay, whilst brandishing a kunai in the other direction to ward the one behind me off.

"You're right." Abruptly I flipped the knives down and put them away. "It doesn't."

Much to their inherent surprise, I seized each one by the wrist and yanked them both brutally toward me. "You know what the best thing about this technique is?" I grinned evilly at them, savoring the fear in their eyes. Each word that came from my mouth dripped with delicious ominousness. "I don't need hand seals." I closed my eyes and mouthed the words to the only spell I knew. The only one I dared not invoke for with it the user paid a terrible price. "_Auribus tenere lupum, momento mori_."

There was a flash of light. The men's bodies jerked spastically once before going limp. I released their wrists and they fell. Heh. _Learning Latin for a hobby has benefits after all. _When I opened my eyes again, Kakashi was bolting by me, grabbing my wrist in the process. Before I was forced to follow his lead, I spared a backward glance. My eyes opened wide. What was happening was a horror movie come to life - and the funny thing about it was it wasn't happening in slow motion. I didn't have time to watch every last fiber holding the bridge together snap one by one in a deadly succession following the lead of the next and the one before. It began to fall, hastened by the hacking away of many knives.

_"Papa, why don't I have a mommy? Didn't she love me?"_

I stumbled, my foot catching between the planks. My fingers dug in, slamming me forward, my legs knocking bruisingly against the hard wood. Yelping, I hung on for dear life as the bridge end fell away.

_"… No. She… she didn't want you."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because… you were special. No one likes special people."_

The face of the cliff rushed to meet us. Holding my breath, I braced for the jarring impact. Briefly I glimpsed my sensei above doing the same thing. I thought I heard him shout for me to hang on. It was lost in the screaming air whistling past my ears.

_"Is that why we run?"_

_"No, aka-chan. That is not why we run."_

_"Then why do we have to run? We're not bad people, Papa, I know we're not."_

_"No. We run because…"_

"Kakashi-sensei!" I screamed -

the bridge collided with the rock face -

_"…there _are_ bad people out there who would want to hurt you if they knew about you…"_

- I slipped, another scream tore loose from my throat. I grappled and caught another plank four down to the last. My legs dangled in the air, kicking for purchase, finding none.

_"… But you can't protect me all the time, Papa."_

The two dead nin fell into the deep chasm, disappearing into the rushing river current below. I saw them and clung to the planks for all I was worth. _Not like them! I won't let go! _Shuddering I stared at the board between my hands and pushed my forehead against it, mewling pathetically. _I don't want to die I don't want to die…_

_"No. No, I can't."_

Abject horror engulfed me when I faced up again and saw my sensei's silhouette against the bright sky moving _away_ instead of _toward_ me. _Was he leaving me!_ "_Sensei_!" A split second later I realized why: his weight was making the ancient ropes strain on what little hold they had left. I tried to ease what little chakra I had left into my grip. The Sharingan had drained a lot prior so there was next to none left… not enough to hold on indefinitely.

My eyes squeezed shut tightly. _Tasukete! _I called out to whatever, whichever, hoping absurdly against hope, reason against reason. The things that flashed through my mind then were many, fleeting, staggering in their pleas yet sincere, the most sincere things I'd ever admitted to myself. Because they were true. They were true.

I gasped as one hand slipped loose - and then the other… "_Iie_!"

A hand reached out and caught my arm. Shocked, I opened my eyes. _Who…? How…?_

"You're a real pain in the ass, Uchiha."

Takashi's impassive, strained face greeted my vision. Beyond him Ichigo hovered over the edge, ready to grab his friend in case he slipped. I noticed the makeshift wire looped around his torso leading up to where Ichigo clung to a part of it, leading on behind him indicating Kakashi must probably be on the end. It would explain Ichigo being able to handle Takashi's dead weight straining him with so little effort.

I grasped and clung to whatever part of him I could, which turned out to be his head and shoulders. His face matched his hair again. Ridiculously a bubble of laughter rose within me. Even in this situation he finds a way to be embarrassed by it! I tucked my head against his heated neck, murmuring. "You are so hopeless."

He couldn't find a comeback for that one. "Uh…hold on." Turning his head away from mine, he shouted back up. "I've got her!"

"Good." Ichigo's immense relief was evident. "He's got her!" I could picture him yelling over his shoulder.

Slowly but steadily, loose rung by loose rung, creak by agonizing creak, we made our way upward. Ichigo guided us along, backing up more and more the closer we drew. I had to curl one leg around Takashi's waist and push off with the other to keep balanced. He flushed again. _Boys, I swear._ To help stave off his pride violation, I made sure I moved around until I was pressed against his back. It made the climb easier in any case.

Suddenly I felt this white-hot pressure stab me in the back. Pain immobilized me, its paralyzing grip asserting its hold over me with deadly swiftness. Takashi cried out and grappled with my body, which began to slowly go limp. I murmured a word and my vision swam in and out of focus. Wet warmth flowed ran down my back.

"Katana, you can't let go!" I heard Takashi begging from miles away before he cried out an ear-splitting scream. "_Katana_!"

After that I knew nothing else.


	24. The Slug, the Snake and the Fox

Blinking against the bright rays of the sun, Sakura shielded her eyes, scanning the terrain stretched out before them. These abrupt starts and stops were trying on the calf muscles. She cursed herself for neglecting her training, not because of lack of will but because of lack of time. There'd been _no_ time to get prepared for this, she continuously reminded a guilt-ridden conscience. _Be glad you made it even this far._

So far they'd been making excellent headway. The impeccable travel instructions the shadow team had sent the Hokage ensured they would reach their intended destination quickly and, Kami willing, without incident. Unlike the previous team, they needed no guide. Besides they had with them a couple of extra advantages, some Sakura felt the other team could have used more than they did. _But if things had gone right, these extra advantages wouldn't have been needed at all. _How she longed to know what that message had said! Tsunade, for all her outward required stoicism, seemed tense and even frightened. The older woman's entwined fingers had trembled nearly imperceptibly speaking to the Jounin assembled before her. The young mednin remembered the faraway look in the Fifth's eyes. It was the same trepidation she was feeling now.

Sakura was mildly startled when one of her teammates settled beside the same open branch she perched upon. He skimmed the horizon with her, serious eyes taking in every flora and fauna dwelling on the earth below them. She let a smile curl her upper lip. He had lost none of the lazy habits he so carefully honed in his youth, preferring to leave much of the grunt work to others. Like Sakura he hadn't gone on a 'real' mission in years. He preferred to stay at home with the wife and kids doing code-breaking assignments. Under no means voluntary, the fact that a lot of his friends from childhood were in danger was what prompted him to undertake the mission without complaint. An added plus from his point of view was that he wasn't the squad leader this time. So finding reasons to object for him would have been more of an effort than he was willing to put out. Sakura suspected he was just bored out of his gourd.

"Mm?" Sakura glanced at Shikamaru absently. "Something you wanted to say?"

He shrugged. "Not particularly." Yawn. "Kiba thought it'd be a good idea to camp in pairs."

Sakura made a light teasing sound in her throat. "Hm, not if you have to sleep next to a dog." Her singsong tone prompted him to smirk. She mock-slapped his shoulder, turning the smirk into a real grin. They'd been good friends for a long time. It was no wonder given when all hope was lost _they_ were the ones tossed together on those oft-dreaded brain-breaking missions. Not because no one else _could_ do them but because no one _wanted_ to do them. It gave Sakura a break from her medical duties and forced Shikamaru to drag his lazy butt out from whatever place he was currently putting down roots.

Her friend patted her on the shoulder affectionately in return and went to sojourn on another limb, leaving her alone with her thoughts again.

Oh well. Despite her concern over the small number she decided it wasn't worth getting worked up over. Though few, there were some seriously talented shinobi talent on this mission. Hyuuga Hanabi, Aburame Shino, Inuzuka Kiba and Mitarashi Anko. Anko had only been dispatched because of her former association with Orochimaru and because "I need to lay old ghosts to rest."

_I need to lay old ghosts to rest too._ She drew one knee up and hugged it under her chin. Old ghosts, old fears and most of all… _I need to just let _go Her heart was ready. Perhaps it had been ready for a while. Strangely the seed of bitterness she had thought she had carried within her toward the long-ago effigy haunting her nights wasn't as real as she had feared. Lingering certainly - damp tearstained pillows in the mornings didn't lie - she certainly wasn't going to kid herself. Her life had moved forward and beyond that time. She had done it for her own sake, the sake of Ichigo and the sake of her life as a ninja.

_But… my heart never forgot._ Why else would she be here? Almost three years shy of thirty and she'd only been with one man. Naruto had watched her love life with dead eyes and a somber, sickly smile. He never knew despite the fact many men walked in and out of her life, (often silently snarled at by her son), she hadn't been willing to give any of them what she had given to him that night. _None would have been honest and really when it came down to it… just wrong. _She inhaled and exhaled. _God, I am one messed up chick. _Smiling somewhat, she turned so her cheek pressed against her kneecap. It would be all right, she realized with a determined hopefulness. For once she understood exactly how things stood. She supposed she had for a while but refused to go forward with it, to admit the real reasons behind some of the things she was doing... saying... feeling. Years it labored under the façade she'd spread over it, always knowing, never acknowledging.

She was tired… sick and tired of it. She loved life passionately. Without reserve, dammit. By the good grace of all things pure and simple she was going to make the best of the new strength she'd found within herself; strength she'd thought she'd lost when it finally hit her that Sasuke was probably out of their reach, out of her reach, forever. It was about time.

_Please let us all come home safe: Naruto, my Ichigo and Katana. _The raven-haired child of the road had become a fixture in their lives. She had grown dear to Sakura's heart as if she were her own child. How Sasuke managed to make the young lady into what she was continually fascinated Sakura. She _was_ him… and yet she was herself, her own creation, unforged in no other fire save for the one she'd built on her own.

She remembered suddenly Naruto once telling her the real reason why it had taken so long for the next Hokage to be "selected" wasn't because of Tsunade's readiness to step down.

_"I made her wait."_

_"Wait? Why, I thought…"_

_He folded his arms and stared down at the lazily flowing water under the bridge Team 7 used to meet on so many years ago. It had become a place of nostalgia, a place that sometimes drew the two of them with its memories, to relive them, before tucking them away again. It was their silent memorial to the old days. _

_"I made her wait because… it's stupid." He appeared to darken with embarrassment. "I wanted to see if… I wanted him to see it - see _me_." She saw his lower jaw tense and she knew he was fighting again. "I used to hear about all these reports. I kept hoping…"_

_"He'd come home," she murmured. Sakura was slightly surprised he knew about the rumors that occasionally circulated among the shinobi. _

_Naruto shook his head, releasing his breath. "But I'm being a fool again." A not-smile curled his lips and he looked at her, inviting her to share in the joke that was Uzumaki Naruto. Instead she came to stand beside him and rested her hand on one of his crossed arms._

_"It's not foolish," she told him, surprised by the simplicity of her own words. "It's not foolish to desire that which most people would give up on. You know," she smiled brightly, "Katana still hopes he'll come home. As long as she thinks he has a reason…"_

_Naruto's eyes widened. There it was… the naked hope she herself saw so many times in the mirror. In her face it was at its limit, stained with melancholy. In Naruto's it shone brand new, pure and untainted._

_I need that, _she thought, grabbing onto the feeling rising in her chest even as the sun began to touch the western horizon. _We're all separated now, all of us, more than ever._ This was the final test. Naruto's ascension meant the end of things as they stood and the beginning of things that sat in the dark, waiting to emerge for the first time.

"Sakura!" she heard the singsong call of Anko from below. "Everyone's paired up already. It looks like you're bunking with me, kiddo."

The pink haired woman looked down at the older woman, favoring a frank expression, her smirk an echo of the one the other kunoichi was giving her. "Is that so?"

Anko arched an eyebrow, hearing something in the other woman's tone. Finally it dawned on her and she laughed. "Don't worry, no snakes this time, I promise."

Amused, Sakura exhaled faintly through her nose and leapt lightly to the ground, landing neatly beside her fellow Jounin. She forced her smile, trying to share in the humor Anko so easily exuded; her manner so very like a certain absent someone that she found it painful. Her teammate extended her support by cupping her shoulder with her palm and giving it a gentle shake.

"He's okay." Sakura nodded, not really looking too convinced. Anko cracked a warm grin. "Ah, cut it out, you're going to start bringing _me_ down pouty." There, she was starting to smile. "He wouldn't want you bawling over him, you know fox boy. Hates people who cry all the time. 'Course," she added slyly, "that all stops when he looks at _you_, heh. Men."

_Sometimes you are too much, Anko. _Sakura clucked and waved her off, deciding she was being absolutely ridiculous (yet silently thanking her at the same time). Merrily Anko cracked her usual sardonic grin and jerked her head over her shoulder, indicating that they needed to head back toward where everyone else was assembling for the night.

* * *

It was early in the morning when they reached Anzen no Chi Mori. Sakura immediately sensed an innumerable amount of chakra signatures. Akamaru, Kiba's loyal mutt counterpart, affirmed this with an unbecoming whimper of misgiving. Taking no chances, Anko ordered a stealthy approach. Given from the vague warning they'd been sent, it wouldn't be wise to barge in there with Sound nin and paid mercenaries running amok. Via Tsunade the report disclosed the valley was absolutely overrun with enemies, tucked into every nook and cranny. It was enough to cause the young mednin's knees to tremble and her blood to run cold. It sounded a lot worse than what she had been prepared to face. 

Separating into a distant loose semi-circle in the treeline bordering the edge of the northern pass, the Konoha team fanned out. There was no way of approaching without being discovered. All entrance and exit routes teemed with the infamous mercenaries, their bloody reputations made gruesomely apparent by the butchered bodies that lay out and about. Left carelessly and forgotten, the corpses cut a hideous first glimpse into the horror they were about to plunge into. Impudently Sakura made a mental note to consign every zombie flick Ichigo had ever purchased to the trash. There would be no way she could watch those again and not think of this.

The iniquitous possibility of Naruto perhaps lying amongst the sea of dead bodies was a thought she tried and could not stop from entering her mind. Just the mere whisper of it made her stomach ill.

Over their radio connection, Kiba was incensed, growling, practically gnashing his teeth together. "Fucking bastards!" From where he was, he made fists, cradling his rage between them vicariously. "I've seen a lot of shit in my day but this--!" He bristled, his already spiky brown hair standing an inch straighter. The large white dog curled at his side whuffed in agreement. "Sons of bitches sickos…"

Well aware of Kiba's penchant for creating colorful vocabulary words, Anko huffed into her mouthpiece, a silent ordinance to be quiet. Struggling to comply, Kiba clamped on his tongue and did so, albeit reluctantly. The agitation creased between his eyebrows and the twitching of one eye. Unseen as he was, everyone knew it was taking all of his self-control to keep from ripping random things to shreds by tooth and claw. Akamaru nosed his owner's arm, trying to reassure his master in the only way he knew how. Absently Kiba fondled the animal's floppy ears, thanking him for his wordless comfort.

Sakura remained hidden behind a thick canopy of leaves, straight across from the pass and close to the undergrowth. Shino had placed himself a yard to her right, Shikamaru thirty meters to her left. Her nerves somewhat calmed at having each of them so close. The allusion of protection fooled her mind and it enabled for her mind to clear so she could focus again. False lull of security or not, a lucid mind did wonders for the reflexes. Logic could go to hell at this point and she wanted to be prepared when and if it occurred.

"Don't get too comfortable." Anko's voice was a whispery hiss. "Now we knew we were going to see this. These Chinmoku bastards have been on the Fire Country shit list for a long time. They're responsible for the deaths of over thirty-four daimyo and instigating the siege six years ago that destroyed one of Fire Country's smallest yet most profitable villages."

Chinmoku was the one most directly to blame for inciting the clan to clan warfare that eventually destroyed a small hamlet. It affected Sakura all the more vividly when Katana revealed she'd actually _been_ there when it happened. Her first person account was the only eyewitness statement Konoha had of the tragedy.

"Needless to say," she continued grimly, interrupting Sakura's thoughts, "alongside Orochimaru's men, we're taking on quite the mother load. Being seen before we get through is obviously not in our best interest."

"There should have been more ninja assigned to this mission," Hanabi intercut suddenly, calmly. "We aren't enough to provide the necessary support."

"I would concur." Shino, man of few words, added quietly. "Getting through this mountain pass alone is going to be difficult. A by the book procedure is not going to work in this situation."

"Which is why we have Nara," Kiba countered almost jovially, a contrast to his earlier anguish. "Have a little faith."

Sakura smiled, hearing Shikamaru's responding grumble. "You guys put too much on me."

Huffs of air and contained semi-sneezing noises filled everyone's headsets.

"Okay, enough chit chat." Anko took back the mic. "No further contact until we've cleared the pass."

Sakura heard audible, muffled sounds in her ears until all that filled them was static. Closing her eyes briefly, she reached up and switched off her head set. _It's all up to each one of us now._ _What a way to get back on the field! But I will do this perfectly._ She gathered her pink tresses behind her head, secured them with pins before tying a black cloth over them. No need to give away her position with this bright patch. _I will not be a moving target._

"No mistakes, Haruno," she gritted through her teeth determinedly, launching off through the trees.

* * *

Two sets of feet impacted the earth at the same time, the heavy thuds resonating. They craned their necks, squinting against the morning slivers piercing through the leaves, the rays playing across the planes of their faces. The leaves glowed yellow-green and the mushy moss under their feet made the trek through the undergrowth virtually soundless. Flowers standing proud were briefly trodden flat to the ground, coming to attention again only when they had passed by. The beauty of the region faded from their minds, clouded and discarded before the inevitable. 

Naruto watched the other man who moved ahead of him, concentrating on his outline against the gray dawn. Orochimaru was only minutes away, his loathsome scent making his sensitive nostrils flare in distaste. He felt a strange urgency. He didn't know why -- he had never entered a battle believing he might not see the end. It couldn't be helped he had to admit. So much was on the line here. More than their lives, more than a valley being lost to the sunrise. Everything and nothing… the strength of his emotions almost overwhelmed him. His throat swelled painfully. _Got to say something._

"Sasuke."

The dark haired man stopped walking one step (always one step, Sasuke was never behind Naruto, that fact would never change) ahead of his companion. He looked back impassively, patiently, waiting in askance.

Deep breath. "When we were on that elevator you asked me if… a man could ever go home again."

"Aa." Sasuke shifted. He seemed almost embarrassed.

Mildly encouraged, Naruto smiled faintly. "My answer's still the same. I mean," he shied, "I can't promise you'll be welcome but… I can promise you that no matter what I'll have to do because I might not have a choice, that…" He knew he was babbling.

"Naruto."

Almost at once he stopped and closed his mouth.

Sasuke's lids fluttered shut and opened before he rested them upon his former rival again. "I don't need promises or assurances. I made my way. You made yours. End of story."

"But…" Naruto had the good grace to appear forlorn.

"I know." Strangely the Uchiha's black eyes seemed softer, more understanding. He stared off into the wood, speaking quietly. "I have no more time to waste on petty ambition." Suddenly Sasuke smirked, regarding the other with some amusement. "Catching flies?"

"Huh?" Slow blink and then a series of rapid ones brought Naruto out of his dumbfounded haze.

"Oh…"

"Looks like time hasn't improved your IQ any." Sasuke continued to move on ahead, aware of what lay at the end of the next twenty steps.

"Yeah, well, time hasn't improved _your_ attitude at all." Naruto muttered, catching up in a few steps. But he was smiling. Together they stopped, seeing their destination laying in wait for them out in an open heath. Gradually Naruto reached for his thigh holster and procured a kunai. Sasuke drew his kobun.

"First one who lands a killing blow buys lunch."

Naruto practically whipped around on Sasuke, unable to believe what he'd just heard. Slowly he grinned, fierce and feral. He brought his gaze back to the front.

"You're on."

* * *

A gray-haired man pushed his round glasses up on the bridge of his nose. He squinted in the sunrise peeking out over the tops of mountains that so famously flanked the once obscure region. Inhaling the rich, floral scented air, he took a rare moment to appreciate what the valley had to offer. More than just a whiff of fresh air, it contained the thick, sour smell of distant smoke. It was assured that soon enough all evidence of the former inhabitants of Anzen no Chi Mori would be wiped out. Anzen would be another extension of Sound territory - and another stamp on Konoha's death warrant. With control over this valley, they would smother Konoha. 

Kabuto tore his eyes from the horizon, the sun creating a halo effect around his head as he turned to regard his master. "Do you think they'll come."

From where he was seated on the ground in the open heath they'd chosen to wait in, Orochimaru chuckled in his familiar wheezy manner. "Of course. Killing me is the only way Sasuke-kun can be assured of his freedom."

"The Kyuubi vessel accompanies him. All things considered, I don't expect they'll be easy to handle."

"No. However my new container is younger and more limber. Their stamina will run out long before mine will." Orochimaru favored his right hand man with one narrow yellow eye. "Honestly. You worry more than you need to."

Kabuto smirked faintly.

"I wonder what our Sasuke-kun has made of himself these long years?" Orochimaru idly speculated, possibly just to pass the time. "I have heard interesting… stories. You have heard the most recent?"

The other gazed toward the hills again. "Yes."

Another deep laugh. "I truly look forward to this: the last Uchiha and the future Rokudaime. Cut off the circulation and the heart will eventually cease beating."

Kabuto moved so his back faced his master, letting his hair cover his expression. He offered no opinion other than his ambiguous silence. Orochimaru eyed the younger man's back with a shrewd, malicious glee. It was coming to a close, this game of the unsaid and undone. Both knew the duplicity of their relationship was not lost on the other. The arrival of Konoha's dirty secret and lost prodigy would reveal itself in full.

They didn't have long to wait.

* * *

Two figures moved out of the tree line, one slightly ahead of the other. The first was a tall blonde man wih striking blue eyes. His face no longer held the roundness or innocence Kabuto recalled in the ruddy adolescent he'd met so very long ago. He no longer possessed that empty headed sense of oblivion the fox had made so infamous. Instead that fierce intellect, the hidden greatness no shinobi could ignore, had finally manifested fully. There was no hesitancy, no second-guessing. Coldly controlled, his face was carefully set in determination, a wall between himself and the uncaring outside world. 

The second man emerged behind the blonde, moving up beside him gradually. If his companion was the sun, then he was the night to follow. His canvas was remarkably unreadable and utterly without emotion. Obsidian eyes took in the world around them with a thinly veiled hostility. Darkness positively radiated off him in waves and those in observance felt his killing intent. Untamed locks of black-blue fell in its usual manner, framing a pale and somewhat weary face. Like his friend, time had been good to him - his enviable bearing had sculpted him into something truly beautiful. And deadly.

_Well, it looks like we're going to have our hands full, _Kabuto thought, answering their appearance with a serene smirk. Not that he had expected anything less.

Upon sighting Orochimaru, Naruto started forward in his typical bulldozer manner. His eyes were red, however, that was the only sign of the Kyuubi he had let show itself. What stopped his plunge was Sasuke grabbing his shoulder. He stumbled once, growled and yanked his shoulder away. But he stayed put.

Orochimaru's narrow yellow eyes positively glowed in seamy delight at the appearance of his old enemy and former underling/future container. Naturally he addressed Sasuke first, well aware Naruto would become pissed. Nothing enraged the fox brat more than being ignored like he was nothing.

"It's been a long time, Sasuke-_kun_," he tacked on the honorific patronizingly. "You've grown up well. Still playing the goodwill bandit?"

_Goodwill bandit?_ Naruto glanced at Sasuke, puzzled. Obviously he wasn't up on current events.

"One has to earn a living," Sasuke replied, face like granite.

Orochimaru just smiled in his depraved manner. "Of course I didn't have the leverage _you_ had. Tell me… was it split both ways or did you give her an allowance?"

Sasuke's breath went backward and his eyes opened up wide. He felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest.

Orochimaru basked in the Uchiha's shock. "Yes, I know about your little 'enterprise' in the Sound's red light district. Nakamura Leiko's employer revealed to me some _very_ interesting stories."

One yellow eyebrow went up on Naruto's face. "You have _pimps_ on your payroll?" Jiraiya was going to love this. He turned his mixture of disgusted confusion on Sasuke. "You mean Katana's mother was…?"

Ignoring him Sasuke spoke through his teeth, glaring at his former master. "You cannot distract me with such pointlessness, Orochimaru. We're here to finish what was started in the Forest of Death. Your knowing about my daughter changes nothing."

The snake master shrugged, like it didn't matter one way or another. "Perhaps not." He grinned again and got to his feet slowly. "I've been waiting for a long time for this."

"You're not the only one," Naruto growled contemptuously.

Without further preamble Sasuke rushed forward. Naruto started after him but was forced to a stop when Kabuto stepped in front of him. His face twisted into a peeved snarl.

"I'm afraid your opponent is me." Kabuto smooth self-assurance did not falter, not even when the lines on the other man's face thickened. "But don't worry," his smile was almost sweet, "I'll make it worth your while."

Naruto clenched his teeth, frustrated. He had intended on backing Sasuke up; he hadn't counted on fighting Kabuto too. However one had to make concessions. "Fine by me." He slid into a stance and held his hand in a familiar position. The chakra began to swirl in the palm of his hand. "I could use the warm-up."

_Watch out for yourself, Sasuke_, he thought as he prepared to attack. _After I finish here, I'll come back you up. _No way was he going to let Sasuke stand against Orochimaru alone. Not alone. _You've fought enough battles on your own, teme. It's time we finished the war together.

* * *

_

_Blood was kind of a pretty color. She wondered and not wondered why such a strange thought should come to her now. It must be what dying was like. Crimson rivers ran down the trunk and pooled on the ground in a display that was both artistic and gruesome at the same time. How far would it run? Would its clawed fingers of red cover the entire ground indefinitely?_

Am I going to die now? This is a stupid way to die,_ she thought, sweat and blood running down her face and throat. Though she was pinned close to the base of the tree, her feet only barely brushed the ground at the tiptoes. Only the shadow shuriken keeping her half pinned and half impaled kept her from slumping to the ground. She struggled to keep her eyes open, fighting to keep her vision from blurring. It was bad enough it kept fading in and out like it was. Good thing she had lost feeling in the rest of her body; Katana had a low threshold for pain - and she was a woman._

_It was at the edges of gray she saw her father emerge from the brush and the moment he appeared and saw her, it was as if time itself froze over. _

_She parted her dry lips and breathed out her words. "Sorry, Papa, I couldn't dodge it." She braced one hand against the dull part of the blade half-sticking through her gut. "This doesn't hurt." She winced from the effort of moving and she let her eyes drift shut._

_"Katana, no, don't!" She heard her father shouting and touching her face, making her chin lift. "Look at me, sweetheart, please…" She gradually opened her eyes, dazed. Kami, the world was absolutely spinning. Everything, sound, color, sight, kept coming and going in a sickening, pounding succession. She just wanted it all to _stop

_"Papa, I'm tired…"she murmured._

_"I know," he spoke, his voice shaking but steady at the same time, his thumb stroking her cheek to keep her awake. "It would be much easier to go to sleep, but you can't. Okay?" She nodded. Encouraged by her response he started tugging at the thing that held her to the tree. Eventually he took out a knife and started hacking away at it._

_"Papa?" she asked faintly, blearily watching him work._

_He looked at her briefly but did not pause. "Don't talk. Just concentrate on breathing and staying awake. I'll talk, okay?"_

_She exhaled, smiling weakly. "You're so bad at it…"_

_"I'm terrible at it. But you know what the truth is? I just don't have much to say." Thnk. She was free. Sasuke reached carefully, gently around her body and slowly, slowly, drew her away from the tree. She stiffened, realizing what he was about to do and scared to death of it. "Daddy…" she whimpered._

_"It's all right."_

_"Don't let go."_

_"I won't."_

_Shakily she tightened her arms around his body and pressed her forehead into his shoulder. She braced herself though she knew nothing would prepare her for this. When he gently removed the blade embedded in her gut, she screamed. _

_The rest was a blur so she didn't see how he managed to stop the blood from bleeding her dry. She just remembered that it was the worst pain that she'd ever felt and that she just wanted it to stop, stop, stop. No way could any human being live through this much pain. Since she wouldn't let him go, Sasuke had to compensate by holding her part way on his lap (getting more of her blood on him in the process) as he awkwardly forced her to lie down._

_"It doesn't look like it hit any internal organs," he muttered, his gaze flicking over the wound. He met her eyes again. "Hate to embarrass you, aka-chan, but I need to cut off some of your shirt. You're not going to hold this against me are you?"_

_"Uh-uh."_

_He smiled, though it wasn't what he wanted to do, she could tell. The fear singing in his eyes was too strong for that. "You're doing a good job, sweetheart," his mouth was running independent of his mind as were his hands, which worked mechanically. "Keep still a little while longer, okay?"_

_"…don't…"_

_"Don't what?" He did not pause in his ministrations._

_"Call me sweetheart… doesn't sound right."_

_"All right. Then what do you want me to call you?… Kobacha?"_

_"Un…I'm killing you…"_

_He smirked. "I'm not too sure you'll be able to do that in your position."_

_"Fuck you."_

_"Oi." Sasuke darkened. There were a lot of things he let her call him but that one crossed the line. _

_"…Sorry."_

_"I'm almost done." He cut the wire to the stitch and started the last one, picking his next subject randomly. "Your grandmother once told me the best medicine for pain was having a sense of humor. Then she would start tickling me."_

_Now there was an image. Katana managed a smile. "Did you laugh?"_

_"Aa. But she always let me get her back for it."_

_She squinted at him, lowering her eyes to watch his progress. "…Do you miss her?"_

_"…All the time."_

_"Papa…why…now?" She took deep breaths between words. Stupid dizziness._

_"Because…" He did not look up. "…I've never told anyone else." Snip. "I'm finished. No… don't move," he admonished when she tried to sit up. "We'll camp here for a day before we move somewhere else. We should be okay for one night." She was shivering violently, cold from the blood loss and paler than he had ever seen her. Sasuke pulled a blanket out from her travel bag and wrapped it around her. He dropped a light kiss on her temple and let their foreheads press together briefly. _

_"I'm sorry," she murmured softly. "I… don't like being a bother."_

_"You're not a bother. I don't want to hear you say that again."_

_"Sorry."_

_"No apologies…" Her father smiled that smile she tried so hard to make happen more often than it did. He brushed aside a lock of her hair. "And if you say sorry again after this I won't forgive you."_

_Sigh. "Can I sleep now?"_

_"You can sleep now."

* * *

_

I didn't know how long I was unconscious. It could have been days, weeks, hell, an entire month. Awareness seeped back slowly as blood crept through one layer of a bandage at a time. My vision swam into focus. Trees framing a blue sky bright with afternoon sunshine stabbed straight through to the back of my brain. Immediately I shut my eyes again and turned my head to the side, automatically throwing an arm over my face and curling up halfway. My cheek encountered the itchy, tickly sensation of grass. A groan escaped my throat and suddenly I felt cold. Instinctively I shrank together and crossed my arms over my chest in an X. Damn I wanted a blanket so badly, my clothes and hair were… _soaking wet!_

_The hell…_ I stilled, holding my breath. _Wait…_

It slammed into me in a quick succession of images. The Atokata attacking, a bridge collapsing, Ichigo and Takashi yelling, a shout of my name. Falling. Water rushing up, meeting me, enveloping me, hot then cold and next… nothing.

Sucking in my breath fast, I shot up and looked around, panicked. Reaching for my kobun, finding it and holding it for use in both hands. I shifted this and that way in my seat, breath held, fierce, muscles taunt and tensed, ready to spring into any defensive position. Contiguously I knew the rest of my supplies and weaponry were missing (I would mourn the loss of my bow… that had been my pride and joy) and simultaneously dismissed their absence. Didn't need 'em. A good ninja learned to use what he or she had. Thankfully I had my most important asset with me. Not that I was surprised, given the nature of _this_ particular kobun…

Oh the kobun wasn't _special_ in it of itself… just an ordinary kobun. It was one half of a pair that my father had received in substitute payment when our real payment was stolen from our client. Otosan said he would accept something useful in its place (if only because I was there and cold-blooded murder wasn't a great way to endear yourself to your own daughter). Happy to comply with my oh so wonderfully reasonable father, the client had decidingly given us something… quite strange.

Two kobuns enchanted, the man had proclaimed, so that whoever used them never lost them or allowed another to wield them. He had no need for them persay so he figured two enterprising ninja might make better use of them. Naturally Otosan thought this was nonsense but he accepted them as payment. They were good, well-made weapons. Only a fool would pass them up. We each took one for our own, disgruntled at the money lost yet grudgedly pleased we got something decent out of the deal. When we found out that the man's claim about the knives held true, I remember it was one of the few times my father actually _laughed_.

_"This is the damnedest thing I've ever seen," he told me, shaking his head. "I clearly watched the knife fall right down that gorge. Five minutes later it was back in the sheath like nothing had happened."_

_"Why'd you even let go of it?" I asked, eyebrow raised in imitation of his usual expression of puzzlement._

_"I dropped it."_

_"You _dropped_ it."_

_"It's not like how it sounds."_

_"Huh. It sounds exactly like it sounds."_

_"… Shut up."_

_"Hey, back at you, you started it!"_

_"Hn." But we were both grinning._

This kobun I held now, slowly scanning the small meadow I was lying in. No sooner had I comprehended the forest line thirty meters from where I was sitting, something spoke up. Only it wasn't exactly anything my ears could hear…

_:Well, look who decided to rejoin the world of the living.: _

Approaching me from the far right was a familiar sight with triangular black-tipped ears, a smartass grin and copper fur that shone in the sunlight in a pretty red-brown mixture of hues. He sat straight across from me, moving his ears around and curling his bushy tail around his dark front feet.

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.

_:I told you to ask.: _Grin. _:You sure make my job fun, human.:_

I tried to speak again but seriously, _I could not speak_. My hand flew to my throat and my eyes flew wide in panic. The heck was wrong with my…Oh. _Oh_…._ Shit._ The terrible price to be paid for using a Latin spell for causing the instant death of an enemy. I closed my eyes, remembering the passage as clearly as day.

_'Be forewarned anyone who invokes this spell will lose the ability to speak for three months.'_

I guess that wasn't _so_ bad. A stupid, pointless, nonsensical side effect. I could still cast jutsus. I just wouldn't be able to do important things like _shout for help_ or _talk_ to anyone. Damn it all to hell! I made a fist of the grass between my fingers, ripped a clump out and threw it away from me.

_:Hey, it's not so bad: _Reynard apparently had followed my thoughts. _:You can still talk to _me

I blinked.

_:Hai.: _He flicked an ear to fend off a fly. _:I'm supposing you're wanting to know what happened:_

_Would be kind of nice, _I thought, chewing my lower lip._ I remember being hit in the back and then falling. But that's all I remember. What happened?_

_:The Atokata had shot a dart full of sedative at you - which has worn off now. Apparently they had hoped to capture you by making you fall into the river and retrieving you in that manner. Expediently for you, you had called me, heh, and I responded in time.: _His fox grin faltered._ :Barely. Unfortunately I could not reunite you with your teammates. I had to kill about thirty of those Atokata before they stopped pursuing me and by that time we were so far down river, there was no sense in going back.: _He made a funny face. :_My geographics out of my territory suck. I had to contact my denmate to give me directions to a safe haven humans couldn't follow. Naturally she gave me THIS location.: _He whuffed. _:I regret to inform you that your companions are very far away now.:_

My shoulders slumped. So he didn't know if they were okay or not. My stomach churned with sick worry. _So where am I now?_

Reynard looked a little uneasy. _:Somewhere we probably shouldn't be.:_

_Uh-oh. Where are we?_

_:Nowhere I'd want to stick around for very long and I'm a kitsune: _Reynard got up, came in close to me and put both paws on my knees to sniff the air near my face. _:Good. I smell no injuries, not that I expected there to be any, heh.:_

Annoyed, I stuck out on arm and gently pushed against the animal's furry chest. It forced him to back off and take his paws off me. For a moment I studied the fox, tilting my head in thought. _So tell me… how much power do I have over you? _

_:Ur… some.: _I'm not kidding, he looked apprehensive. _:It depends on what you want.: _His whiskers twitched on his muzzle nervously. My narrow eyes were intimidating to those who weren't used to them.

_If I tell you to take me back to my team and keep me company until we do, would you do it?_

_:Of course. It's part of my job.: _Reynard's stiff form began to relax.

_This would also include helping me deal with enemies. I suspect the Atokata will still be after me. I need to be able to count on you._

_:I saved your life, didn't I: _An offended fox was an interesting sight. _:I think I have earned your trust. Or I should have.:_

He was right about that. However too much lore concerning the nature of _kitsune _made me keep a measured and wary distance. _No_ meant _yes_ and _maybe_ meant _perhaps not at_ _all_. I refused to be fodder for some fox kit's amusement, even a fox that had seemingly been a great summer companion on those hot days where I was bored enough to set the hose on him. Don't think that little thought wasn't running through my mind! Or his for that matter. I knelt before him, sighing heavily. Regardless, he had saved my ass, credit had to given where it was due.

_Don't take it the wrong way. _Reynard whuffed and eyed me skeptically. _Now… _I stood. _You know the way back, right? How long of a walk are we looking at here?_

Reynard closed one dark eye, thinking. _:Approximately the better part of a few days. If we keep moving, we should pass the mountain range along Anzen no Chi Mori's border in… a week.:_

_A… week? _My knees weakened and threatened to buckle. I almost sat down again. _How… how… that's so far…why did you… There had to be a thousand other perfectly safe places you could have taken me! _I brought my foot down hard and opened and closed my fists spastically. _Your geographical skills really do suck! I hate you!_

Reynard snarled silently. _:Then maybe you ought to think better the next time you ask for help! Would you rather be dead:_

Shame. I sighed and cupped the side of my cheek wearily. _No. Sorry, I'm just really frazzled by all of this. Let's go._

Reynard refused to budge, even by my prompting. _:That's not a good enough apology for me.:_

Oh dear, I've done it again. I closed my eyes and exhaled laboriously. For my team, I would be willing to sacrifice my precious pride. This creature was my only way of getting home again. Time for a compromise. Falling to my knees slowly, I bowed down low to the ground in the greatest human show of respect I knew of. _I apologize for offending you. Please forgive me._

The fox bastard grinned. _:Apology accepted, human. For that, I'll fix your little problem.:_

My head lifted. "What problem would that be?" Thrown completely aback, I gasped, shocked, delighted. "I-I… Oh wow!" I sat up and touched my throat involuntarily. "How did you…?"

_:Heh.: _Reynard canted his head endearingly, the most victorious wide grin stretching across his cheeky face._ :A side effect of a human _spell_ is nothing to a kitsune.:_

"Then why didn't you fix it before?"

The fox grinned and waved his bushy tail back and forth. But he did not reply. Honestly I needed to start getting used to the duplicitous nature of _kitsune_. Tricks and sleights were a part of what they were, just like it was a part of human nature to destroy ourselves. They were what they were. A thousand-year-old _youkai_ was not going to adjust his disposition just because one human girl couldn't catch on to his mores and folkways fast enough. The weirdest things always did have to happen to me.

Feeling the enormity of it all, I rubbed my face with both hands, fairly groaning aloud. "I don't know how this is going to work."

My furry friend waved his tail around. _:Just take me on faith, kit. Just like I took you. What do you say:_

"I guess since I don't have much of a choice, what _can_ I say?" Hell, I was just happy I could talk again! "_Do ut des_."

_:Hehe, good answer.: _Reynard got to his feet and started pacing himself beside me as we headed for the forest. _:Might want to watch it with those Latin incantations, though.:_

"I'll take it under advisement." Pause. "I still hate you by the way," I added lightly, smirking. "I just apologized for offending you, not that I didn't mean what I said."

The tod did a kind of shrugging motion, mostly involving a dip of his sharply defined head._:It's okay. I don't have a lot of love for you either. But I think that is the point of all this.: _He paused, rolled his head to the side and looked at me almost plaintively. _:You'll still scratch me between the ears won't you:_

I averted my chin, looking away. "Hn."

The fox just laughed, which sounded a lot like a bark.


	25. You Watch My Back and I'll Watch Yours

It was by the time the sun had reached mid point in the sky, Takashi, his oxygen starved lungs heaving and begging for mercy, reluctantly had to admit it was time to stop. The rock he'd landed on amidst the lazily swirling, flowing water gave lie to the calmness permeating the region. The waterfall nearby was a steady deafening roar. It enhanced the unnerving silence, almost as if it were trying to fill in the growing dread forming within the young Genin. The guilt wasn't there yet but Takashi felt its looming presence. He had tried to ignore it before, driving the beast into a corner, refusing to allow it to manifest in his thoughts. There was still so much to do. He could not let himself become distracted.

Having gained his wind back, more or less, he lifted his head a trifle, glancing across the river in Ichigo's direction. Bless the damn fool, he was still trying. He'd been ceaselessly searching underwater around where the waterfall pooled for hours on end - and nobody had the heart to tell him to give it up. _Ichigo, you can't hope she's there. For her to be there - be where you're desperately searching…_Takashi could not finish the thought, not wishing admittance to his feelings.

Kakashi exhausted from his own five hour-long efforts, sat on shore to rest, soaked to the skin. Even Takami-san, who gladly agreed to delay his arrival for Katana's sake, sat near him. The man was halfway lying down, fighting off sleep. Though tiring long before his ninja escort, he had no less put his everything into the search. It had been more than they could have asked for from someone like him. Takashi hoped the man knew how much they appreciated his help.

_Not that anything any of them was doing was making much of a difference._ Takashi could not escape this cynical thought. After her plunge into the rushing water below, the four had desperately raced against time, the river's rage and the bastard Atokata. Five man-hours later they ended up here, three miles down the same river at the end of this waterfall. So far the search had only yielded Katana's travel pack, her weapons pouch and her thigh holster, each piece found within either a mile or a foot from another. Mysteriously the dead bodies of Atokata began to turn up as well; their corpses either incinerated or totally burnt beyond recognition. Most of them were found either floating in the river, on shore or further inland. And there were a lot of them.

Katana was the only one of their team to use advanced fire jutsus besides Kakashi. More likely than not, this was her doing. That meant she was alive… right? _She has to be alive!_ He could not accept her being dead. Katana being dead would mean…

_No._

An ice-cold hand closed itself around the young boy. He lost the strength in his knees and slowly sank down, letting his legs dangle on either side of the rock. Unwilling to reveal his loss of composure, he set his face to stone. An ugly blackness bled inside his stomach, leaving him feeling polluted. Fearing it, he shut himself down and closed himself off from it. He didn't know how else to handle it.

Takashi closed his eyes and leaned heavily on his elbows, pressing his knuckles against his forehead.

_"…I've been out that way and, well, it can get pretty rough."_

Too bad Shinji wasn't here to appreciate the bitter irony of his own words. It would have been one of the few things the feuding brothers might have agreed on.

* * *

In a mild explosion, Ichigo's head broke the surface for the umpteenth time. He treaded water for several moments, breathing heavily, eventually reaching out to the nearest rock and holding on to it. Mouth opening and eyes squeezed shut, he gasped and sucked in oxygen. His lungs screamed, painfully dragging the air in and out of his aching ribs, connected to the rest of an already thoroughly exhausted system. The next dive would be his last if he kept this up. But he kept diving, kept scouring the river bottom, moving as a man possessed. He had to find her… even if a large part of him was glad she wasn't there, the tinier more shameful part of him was pained he wasn't finding her. Ichigo hated that tiny sliver currently knifing him. How could he want to find her dead and cold forever on the river bottom, her hair waving around in the rill like black seaweed? 

_I'm going to be sick._ And he was. Mostly river water accidentally swallowed between rushes to the surface, drawn from the bowl shaped lake in his stomach, was what came up.

"She's not down there."

Ichigo looked up from his clutch hold on the rock. Takashi stood over him, hands leaning on bent knees to peer down at his teammate. Whipped, he just nodded wearily, head dropping against the cold, wet granite. Catching it from the corner of his eye, he saw a sight that surprised him: Takashi extending his hand. He stared at it and then at him.

Sighing, Ichigo brushed his hand away, the rejection of the aide only half-hearted. Instead he heaved himself all the way onto the rock beside Takashi, sitting and dripping. His head hung, hiding his face, his blonde hair matted against his skull. He exhaled loudly again, his shoulders twitching with the chilly spasm of his shivers.

"Hey." Ichigo glanced up when Takashi spoke. "We'll find her."

Mutely Ichigo gave a mild nod, the movement scarcely perceptible. He didn't have the heart to tell Takashi he didn't share his optimism. Funny, he thought he'd have been the one to hold the most hope. He wished they could trade places. Feeling so despondent like this made him feel like he was betraying her.

_I said I'd catch her if she fell…_

He bit his bottom lip and fisted his hands, knuckles white.

"_Oi_!" called their sensei. "Both of you, return to shore. We need to talk."

Kakashi watched the two boys rock-hop to shore, noticing they seemed to be in no hurry. Their movements were lethargic, and as they drew nearer, he saw the apathy in their expressions. They were thinking their teammate was dead, or at least fearing it, a feeling he could relate to even though he didn't dare show it. Five hours was too narrow a margin to assume the worst - he knew. Yet here they were, his team already straining at the seams. Most of it was probably due to exhaustion and worry. It was reasonable to assume that and not the beginnings of a downward spiral of despair. It was time for a pep talk.

Once he was sure he had their attention, he made his announcement. "Takami-san needs to be at his destination tomorrow. It's another hour to the village in the morning and two until he actually has to _be_ before the village daimyo."

Takashi understood what he was saying. Slowly nodding, he swiped at his damp pants leg absently.

"But…" Ichigo protested weakly. One wearily stern eyelid warning from his sensei caused the rest of it to die on his tongue. He struggled inwardly and tentatively implored Minoru Takami with his eyes.

The older man shook his head. "I'm very sorry, Ichigo-kun. Your teammate is more important than my mission. It pains me to say this but… given the situation between our villages, I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of time." He sighed heavily. "Otherwise I'd tell them to go hang." He was honest in his regret. "I truly am sorry."

"What if we stayed behind?" Takashi knew his suggestion held no grounds for approval but he wanted to voice it anyway. "Just for a few more hours and caught up later?" He ignored Ichigo's stare.

Kakashi was surprised at Takashi's willingness to argue with him. Up until now the youth had gamely gone along with things without a word. But he supposed he shouldn't be surprised at all. And even though it wasn't fair of him, he was hearing Obito again -- and grimly decided this situation wasn't much different from that fateful day. Some extenuating factors decided this one though. They didn't know if Katana was alive with _any_ certainty. Additionally given the nature of the corpses, he didn't want the boys dealing with whatever it was that had done it out there alone. He closed his one eye and opened it again, his decision made.

_Obito, _he thought surveying the young faces of his charges, _maybe someday you can tell me what it was I did wrong. _

Kakashi was a realist and didn't believe that everyone ever got a fair cut out of life. But for some reason he absurdly wondered why a stubbornly spirited kunoichi like Katana had to get caught up in a tragic thread like this. What the purpose of it all was. The burden weight of responsibility settled once again familiarly around the silver haired man's shoulders.

After it was said, Takashi simply nodded. From his bearing and his expression, he had accepted the answer in advance. He hated it - that part of himself, that part that easily accepted bad news. It came from a lifetime of waiting for the bomb to drop. Of waiting to be disappointed. People let you down. They always let you down.

Ichigo's lower jaw tensed behind tight, thin lips. His hard jade eyes seethed with a thousand screams of protest, his shaking fists at his sides clasped the raw emotion running hot in his veins between his clammy palms. Licks of orange swirled deep in the dark centers of his pupils as he fought the ravages of his outrage. Intellectually he understood what Kakashi was saying; he knew that, he wasn't stupid. It was selfish to ask Takami-san to give anymore than the amiable man had to give. There was still the mission and while no mission was ever more important than the life of a comrade…still. Still.

As his companions watched, Ichigo walked away from them and punched a tree trunk to splinters with one blow.

* * *

Fighting Orochimaru, Sasuke discovered, was like fighting against a demon. A twisted, depraved demon that moved with the grace of a teenager yet had the eyes of the old man he really was. A bitter yellow gaze full of power-lust mired in the darkness of his own perversions. What he could have been… and in some part already was… The Uchiha blinked hard to free his mind of the distraction. Now was not the time for a comparison-contrast analysis. _Remember why you've come to him, risking everything you've gained. _These were the missing pages. Only he was determined that this story ended the _right_ way. The way it _should_ have ended. 

The Sannin's crazed-tinged laughter drew him from his slight reverie. "I'm disappointed in you, Sasuke-kun." They were both in battle-ready positions, only a yard apart from one another, each pausing for breath. "Even the Kyuubi brat has a better attention span."

Sasuke didn't react. Orochimaru was definitely losing it if he thought he could still use Naruto's name as a weapon. He understood first hand what it was like to stand still in time and his glimpse of it now made him remember why it was he was here and not where he really wanted to be. When he was fifteen the mere mention of his old rival's name would have been enough fuel for his fire; it passed through him now, leaving no trace of itself in its wake. He hid behind the stiffness of his lower jaw. The sweat poured down his pale heated skin; his whole body was burning. Orochimaru's curse was fighting to obey its creator's command while fighting against the containment seal valiantly holding its emergence hostage. At first he used the pain as an equidistant to keep him steady, to keep his mind clear.

He took a slow, deep breath through his nose, his eyelids twitching from the effort. Dammit even _breathing_ was a chore, how the hell was he supposed to fight if he couldn't do a stupid thing like inhale _air_? _You better catch up soon, dobe, or there's not going to be enough of me left for you to drag home._

_"You're the most amazing person I've ever known…"_

Sasuke almost laughed and if he had, it would have been a bitter, pained sound. Not amazing enough, apparently. Right now what was amazing was that he was still conscious. Then he remembered how the one who had said it had said it. And _why_ she had said it.

It was enough to make him rise to his feet again without wavering.

"Then what's holding _you_ back?" he answered the snake's challenge with his own. "You're just as out of breath as I am." He smirked, half-amused. "Don't tell me you still intend on taking me as a container."

Orochimaru frowned, appearing somewhat pissed by the accusation, although it told Sasuke it was a thought that hadn't entirely slipped the man's mind.

Sasuke continued. Asking at point blank range would likely prove futile… however he felt he had to ask for the sake of those who suffered. "What is it about Anzen? Where's your benefit?"

Orochimaru simply smiled, chuckling. He punctuated by extending his tongue and attempted a go for the younger man's throat. Sasuke instinctively moved backward, changed it to a flip and landed in a crouch out of range. He winced again and bit the inside of his cheek. The pain was worsening. Gray edged his vision and he silently cursed his body. _I can overcome this… _

He swallowed and closed his hands into fists, finding his focus again. Resolved affirmed, he looked up, the Sharingan ablaze, grinning sardonically. Orochimaru's triumphant smirk wavered, his incredulity too apparent for immediate dismissal. It pleasured him to see the fear pulsing in his former master. Yes, the Sannin knew what he was looking at. He smiled one to echo the many the Sannin so often threw his way.

_This is the closest you're ever going to get.

* * *

_

In the end Kabuto was no match for the Kyuubi vessel. Whilst he was able to make the younger man writhe and occasionally cough up a couple of pints of blood, the mednin knew now as he'd known from their initial meeting his was a loss preordained. Years of carefully honed control and an endless amount of chakra coupled with boundless stamina and youth. All of these factors were on Naruto's side. The best he could do - the best any nin of his level could do - was take the Blonde Wonder down a few notches. Slow him up, keep him distracted, preoccupied and overall _out_ of his master's way. Key to fitting Sasuke to the mold was to keep Naruto _away_ from him. Orochimaru knew, had always known that Naruto possessed a most powerful influence over the malleable Uchiha. Even while the boy had been under their tutelage in Sound, his master sensed in Naruto's absence his aura's presence around the dark haired boy. Hell, every rebellious _word_ out of the little bastard's mouth had the blonde's taint in it. On the outside he had been dyed to the color of Sound, on the inside the boy's cold heart stubbornly remained his own. It was rather enviable, really. Kabuto wasn't at all surprised when the kid suddenly up and vanished one day after a routine mission. The reasons were completely different from what anyone had expected however even those reasons weren't entirely shocking.

Naruto stared down at Kabuto's fairly bruised form crouched on the ground. The man was a self-healer so no one attack was enough to disable him indefinitely. He was miffed. The man dodged his attacks for the most part, scoring a hit only when he managed to find an opening. But he wasn't trying to kill him. It was almost like he was…

Naruto growled. "You're throwing it, Kabuto. I'd thought you'd give me a better fight than this. You're going to lose at this rate."

Calmly Kabuto wiped some blood off his lower lip. "What makes you think I'm fighting you to win?" The blonde stared at him. The mednin laughed. "Naïve as ever."

Plagued by a spark of urgency, Naruto let his gaze drift in the direction he heard the unmistakable sounds of battle. He couldn't see Sasuke or Orochimaru from where he was standing. The waves of chakra and the rank smell of sweat and blood in the air told him enough though. "Sasuke," he muttered. _Dammit, I can't be wasting time on this guy!_

A chuckle from the other man brought his attention back.

"What the hell's so funny?" he demanded.

Kabuto only shrugged. "Even though it must have been sixteen years since he left, you still refuse to give up on him."

"So what? It's none of your business." Blue eyes blazed with a fire that was all their own.

"You're right. It's not." Kabuto slowly stood up carefully; apparently he had finished healing himself. His stance told Naruto he was ripe for another go.

Suddenly the sound of a man crying out in pain pierced the air. Faintly, just barely, he heard a voice call out his name.

It felt like a dagger had been plunged deep into his soul, laying it to bleed. Naruto clenched his hands into fists and narrowed his eyes. He glared one last time at Kabuto, his eyes faintly reflecting Kyuubi's influence. He moved to go and stopped again briefly and looked back at Kabuto, who surprisingly hadn't moved. Eventually the gray haired older man relaxed, staring back at the other with coal black eyes, a slight simmering resentment tempered by reluctant acceptance. He wasn't going to stop him.

Shifting around on one foot, Naruto disappeared in a flicker, heading after his friend. If he hadn't been standing before his eyes just now, he could have sworn the man had never been there at all.

Kabuto waited until he was gone before sinking on his knees to the ground again. Despite his declarative stand to renew the fight, in reality, his chakra was spent and a bone tired apathy was beginning to overtake him. Lazily he fell back to rest, one arm slung over his bent kneecap. A tiny smile appeared on his lips, a vague hubris to his indifferent countenance.

* * *

Sneaking through Anzen's mountain pass went smoother than the second Konoha team anticipated. Each member had a specific position he or she had to maintain. Every glimpse of a teammate was answered to one another by hand signals and silent gestures; speaking out loud now so close to complete insertion would be a grave - and fatal - mistake. 

From her position, Sakura caught her breath, taking air slowly in and out of her mouth. Up ahead she saw the usually unflappable Hanabi breathing hard as she scanned their surroundings with her Byakugan. A moment later she gave Sakura the thumbs up and slipped away once again. It was safe to cross that area. After Neji, she was the strongest of the Hyuuga clan and the most reliable. You could set your watch to her thorough and decisive concealment methods. She had been a prodigy in the Academy: she blew through those prelims like a summer breeze and defeated her opponent in two minutes in the final exam. Her fight went down as the shortest in the history of the exams - and the most brutal. Sakura had been the medic assigned to see to the young woman's opponent's injuries that had been incurred during the match. She prayed she would never see the like again.

But the mednin knew from a long sad train wreck of experiences, praying didn't do for much good in this world.

Sakura moved along the face of a large rock, the soft sound of her back barely audible against the granite surface. Her sharp green eyes moved from side to side, warily evaluating her territory. Until the very last moment she failed to detect the form crouching above her. A mere ghost of his chakra touched off the alert centers in her body and she reacted instinctively. When he pounced, she moved to defend. With her arm across his collarbone and shoulders, ramrod locked with her impossible strength, she rendered the enemy ninja immobile. She frowned, a slight curving of the eyebrows. He was dressed strangely, in browns and reds, and his forehead protector etching clearly told her he was not of Sound persuasion or affiliation.

The information flitted through her thoughts. _Hired mercenaries… one of the most wanted criminal groups in the bingo book… murderers…_Her expression went cold. Sending chakra to her hands, she swiftly performed her duty before the surprised, stricken man could retaliate.

Shino appeared before her just as the enemy's body slipped to the ground in a lifeless heap. A small pool of blood formed under his neck and soaked rapidly into the mud. Nudging him onto his back with her toe, she pointed at his forehead protector. Shino nodded and held up three fingers. He'd already dispatched three. Sakura nodded back and together they moved in the direction she'd last seen Kiba and Shikamaru disappear in. They had to move through several treacherous passages and narrow pathways before they managed to catch up to the rest. Along the way they passed a few more bodies, mostly Sound nins. They had probably been killed when the rest had gone ahead, Sakura surmised. The stab wounds and blood spatters across the ground were fresh.

Anko surveyed over her team, confirming in one brief scan that everyone was present and accounted for. She touched her lips with one finger, indicating the order of silence was not to be broken yet despite their successful, stealthful maneuvering through the mountain pass. Pantomiming she instructed them on their next course of action.

Two fingers at eyes - _"Keep both eyes open" _- hands brought together -_ "Pair up" - _finger tap to headset her fist smacking to center of her palm -_ "Radio only for assistance." _Finally she made the universal clear-out motion with her arm. Each separated with their respective, designated partner into the strange misty region of the valley of Anzen no Chi Mori.

Sakura went with Anko, her pre-determined partner, traveling slightly behind her. Each pairing had valid reasoning behind them. Shino and Kiba had been teammates once so they knew how the other moved and thought without needing to say a word. Shikamaru and Hanabi because he was the only one whom Hanabi never second-guessed. As for Anko and herself? Well, she thought, to be perfectly honest, outside of joshing and trading sisterly banter, she couldn't think of any other reason for the pair up. Perhaps because she never argued with Anko -- it was rumored among the Jounin that Anko was difficult to get on with for a lot of subordinates under her command. That and Sakura was one of the few people the strong-willed Anko stopped and actually _listened_ to. Yeah she could see where it all balanced out now that she thought about it.

Several uneventful minutes went by as the two women made it across the muddy terrain. It eventually led them down into a dense forest with thick moss, numerous vines and abundant flora and fauna. The upper canopy blocked much of the sunlight, rendering the forest floor into shadowed darkness. It forced them to stay to the treetops the only place visibility hadn't been reduced. The air was thicker here, humid, heated and enriched with the intense sweet smell of flowers and leaves. It was like breathing through a sponge. It was a subtropical environment; rumored to be one of the few places like it left in the world.

"I don't know how the natives here can stand it," Sakura spoke quietly to her squad captain, taking deep breathfuls of air. "_Moving_ alone is difficult."

"I'll second you on that." Anko leaned on her kneecaps, watching Sakura mop at her wet forehead with the back of her hand. The bandana had dark damp patches. "It might help if you took off that head rag," she added sensibly.

The mednin disagreed. "Can't be seen."

"Huh. Do you think that stops Naruto?"

Sakura smiled gently. "No."

Anko grinned wide, a tad creepy, but honest in its amusement. Gradually she put, "You should, you know."

"Should what?" Sakura took the opportunity to sweep their surroundings, eyeing the thick green foliage with intense scrutiny. When Anko didn't answer, she glanced at the older woman curiously. Anko was giving her a you-oughta-know look she had seen on Ino's face on far too many occasions! She exhaled, recognizing the topic. "Is this really the time?"

Anko shook her head, still smiling. "No. But you should at least think about it."

_That again… everyone keeps telling me that. _Sakura lowered her chin, hiding the resignation in her diluted green depths. Thankfully Anko implied no more after that brief moment and the two kunoichi continued to carry on.

They were forced to a stop on a thick branch when a kunai hissed through the air and embedded itself the bark between them. At the same time Sakura and Anko took evasive action, parting in opposite directions. Their feet skidded across the slippery moss covered limb, forcing them to use their chakra as an adhesive to keep from a nasty plunge.

Barely just recovering, she checked on Anko. After determining her safety, Sakura took out her own knife and focused in the direction the attack had come from, bracing herself.

"Identify yourselves!" called a woman's disembodied voice from above. "Answer quickly or I'm throwing another one!"

"Konoha. We're the reinforcements." Anko called back, shielding her eyes to avoid looking directly into the winking rays of the sun above.

A woman appeared two tree limbs up, her hands encircling a bright ball of solar amplified chakra at heart level. Sakura squinted and eventually she had to look away lest the very sight of it damage her eyes. She'd never seen anything like this jutsu before… if that's what it was.

This news seemed to please the stranger for her tone was more pleasant with her next discourse. "Thank Kami, I was wondering if we were ever going to catch a lucky break." The chakra died instantly, winking out like a light bulb. Sakura shifted her eyes back and was finally able to take in the newcomer's appearance. She was nothing extraordinary or particularly intimidating -- at least based on physical features alone. She was young, attractive, maybe four or five years Sakura's senior. Her eyes were an interesting enough brown-red, she had shoulder length mahogany hair whipped up into a ponytail and her outfit was a pair of gray shorts with a light brown tunic with boots that went up mid-calf. When she smiled though it lit up her entire face, adding to her confident posture.

"_Konnichiwa_," the woman began cheerfully. "I'm Ashita Hikari, member of Anzen no Chi Mori's Special Forces, clan member and valley resident."

Anko grinned, very amused and responded in like. "Mitarashi Anko, Jounin serving under the Fifth Hokage, village member and resident."

Finding it silly but playing along, Sakura echoed. "Haruno Sakura, mednin and Jounin serving under the Fifth Hokage, village member and resident."

Hikari laughed and put both hands on her hips, staring at Sakura in an astonished I'll-damned manner. "No shit? Haruno Sakura?"

Sakura nodded, frowning lightly. "Have you been talking to Naruto?"

Hikari blinked. "Huh? No. He a friend of yours?"

"He is." Best to just keep it simple.

Hikari grinned again. "Awesome." She looked back behind her. "It's okay, Yuki, they're allies. Go report to Neji and Akira, will you? I'll be along in a sec. _Arigato_." She turned back to the Konoha nin. "Sorry you guys missed out on the party. We haven't seen hide nor hair of Sound flunkies or Chinmoku freaks. Frankly it's got everyone freaked out. But…" Her tone was somber. "We've… taken on a lot of losses. How many ninja are on your squad?"

"Six," Anko answered.

Hikari winced. "Ouch. Well, better than nothing. Follow me." She leapt off. Anko and Sakura exchanged looks and followed suit. Anko took the opportunity to radio the rest of their current situation and ordered them to rejoin them. Sakura remained silent, concentrating on getting to their location.

* * *

After reuniting along the way, the six, plus Hikari and Yuki (a purple haired kid with an easy smile who threw a flirty wink in Sakura's direction) reached the location of where the remaining valley residents were hiding. They were camped in a location not easily seen from either above or on the level -- a perfect hideout. The civilians were very quiet, most of them uninjured while it was mostly the Anzen nin and Tenten who needed to be seen to. Sakura was relieved to see that Neji, Lee and Ino were more or less unharmed. Neji scrupulously so, Lee looking just a little bit frazzled and Ino absolutely exhausted. The blonde woman grabbed her best friend's hand and begged her to take over because "I can't do this anymore, I haven't slept in twenty-four hours!" The bags under her near-teary eyes and her dirty face were testament. She looked ready to cry. Sakura patted Ino affectionately on the arm and urged her to rest. Gladly surrendering, Ino collapsed somewhere under a tree, two small boys who'd lost their mother tucked under both arms. They'd been distantly shadowing her since the evacuation until she gave in and let them sleep beside her. She pretended to be annoyed but Sakura knew better. She remembered how taken Ino had been with Ichigo when he had been smaller. 

_Now if she'd just settle down, she could have her wish,_ the mednin thought good-naturedly. _Right, fat chance of that becoming reality._

Making her rounds, Sakura was impressed at how very little that needed to be done. Ino wasn't exactly the best-trained medic in the world but she did a good job with what little provisions she'd had. Intermittently between healings and chakra reserve assessments (who could fight, who couldn't fight), she chatted with Lee who brought her up to speed while Akira and Neji were off with Anko doing the same.

"Where's Naruto then?" Sakura asked, walking beside Lee, eye checking to make sure no one else was signaling for her. "I haven't seen him since we got here."

Hedging, Lee rubbed the back of his neck. "We-ell, he went after this Wolf guy last night after the man disappeared on his way here." Sakura's blank look prompted him to clarify. "Wolf is a masked shinobi these people had sent to Konoha to ask for help. Real quiet guy but snarky as heck whenever he opened his mouth. But eloquent when he wanted to be, ah, such poetry!" His round eyes shone momentarily before he shrugged. "Naruto and him hadn't been getting along up until then."

She frowned. "Then why would he go after him?"

Lee thought. "Well, Hikari said the guy got a sense of Orochimaru and made her come back here alone. Hikari said something to Naruto and suddenly he just went off, faster than I've ever seen him move. Anyone move," he murmured in afterthought.

A cold chill ran up Sakura's spine. "And Neji didn't try to stop him?" That seemed very odd and unlike the Hyuuga.

Lee shook his head. "No. Thing is, Neji _let_ him go."

_"We can't let Naruto go into this by himself!" Lee protested, arms gesturing dramatically. "At least allow me…"_

_"No." Neji regarded him with a dead-serious resolve. "You cannot interfere."_

_"But why? I don't…"_

_"Because Naruto," Neji spoke carefully, "is the only one who can bring him back."_

When Lee stopped talking, he silently leveled Sakura with a meaningful look. Sakura's brow furrowed lightly, not comprehending his inference at first. She gazed off distantly at the hazy smoke trails rising from the forest below. A cold grip suddenly with great alacrity clenched at her and she dared not hope for what all logic spoke against. Wide-eyed she whipped around on Lee, her breath shortening. He merely watched her back, his eyes answering for her.

Sakura's fingertips rose to her lips, the agony ripping through her. She felt so _torn_. If she weren't what she was… She steeled and forced her legs to lock. _My place is here,_ she told her conscience sternly. _These people need me. There's nowhere in the world where I'm needed more than here._ She shut her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip, fighting the hot sting blurring her vision. Slowly she sank to sit on the grass, faintly aware of Lee studiously giving her the space she silently entreated. She thanked him inside her head. Kami only made so many like him… she hoped she had it in her to keep them all with her for as long as possible.

_"Mom, you're a hero every day in my eyes."_

She smiled, tiredly resting a cheek on one upturned kneecap. _I'm trying, sweetheart. If I'm a hero, it's because of that smile of yours and the looks your father gives me when he thinks I'm not looking. And strangely… it's also because of one sad night long ago when the clouds covered the moon someone thanked me._

Palming away the wetness on her cheek, Sakura pushed to her feet and turned back to those just up ahead. She looked over her shoulder one last time.

"Baka," she murmured gently, the corners of her mouth quirking upward.

* * *

It didn't take long for him to catch up to where the snake and his former protégé were fighting. All he did was simply follow the trail of devastation - broken trees, branches, scattered leaves, crushed rock and shallow craters - and he was able to locate them in three minutes. An entire swath of forest was obliterated. The only space left to stand on was dry dirt in a half-circular dent in the earth. Orochimaru stood at one end while Sasuke… 

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, rushing to the fallen shinobi, fearing the worst. Before he knelt down, he shot Orochimaru a murderous promise with his eyes. Orochimaru sank down on one knee, sweating, his clothes stained crimson. He simply smiled. A minor setback, he just needed to recover. Thankfully these fools were giving him that needed space of time.

Sasuke was on his hands and knees. One hand was gripping at the mark, his nails digging down so hard blood was actually running down his neck. His face was screwed up in agony. Out of the cracks of his eyes he saw Naruto hovering over him, registered he needed to do something and with effort let his Sharingan fade.

"Naruto…" he breathed out hard. "I can't… I'm…" He couldn't finish his sentence and screamed; the very sound tore through Naruto. It was hard to look at his friend, see him in so much pain and know there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Naruto grasped the other man's shoulders to prevent his head from connecting with the hard ground, helping him sit halfway up.

Sasuke had been able to stave off Orochimaru's attacks, counting on the avoidance of his gaze to work to his advantage. But he underestimated Orochimaru… again. _I should have known. _The bastard never stopped seeking out new ninjutsus, never stopped experimenting and searching for ways around impossible Bloodline Limits and other abilities. Even with the Sharingan, the very thing his enemy sought so religiously, he couldn't fight against the brutal pull of the Cursed Seal. The containment seal still held but… it had used up too much chakra suppressing the mark's power. Now he could barely move.

Sasuke swore in his mind. He should have killed the Sannin when he had the chance…

"Sasuke!"

Someone was calling, no, _screaming_ at him… oh right... In his throes, he wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders, so hard he heard the other grunt in discomfort. It killed his pride to do that. Dignity no longer played a part here… he lost _that_ back when he had called out for the baka.

"N-Naruto…" Sasuke spoke through clenched teeth, the words a breathy hiss. "You're not… hurt…?"

"No. Sasuke…" he insisted, his voice on edge. There was an odd look in Naruto's eyes that was reflecting in the fear he was hearing in his voice. He was scared his dark haired friend was dying and he realized he couldn't accept that.

"Y-Your turn. I… can't… now but you… you can. Just save some for me, _usuratonkachi_." His smirk was tight and for show but he had to make it for Naruto's sake even though it was killing him to do so.

Naruto smiled back with difficulty, wrestling with himself. "Can't promise you that but… heh, I'll buy anyway, okay?"

Sasuke exhaled through his nose. "Baka…" Then his eyes closed, his head fell against his friend's shoulder and he was still. Naruto shook him, calling out his name. He checked his pulse. Good, he felt a weight dissolve inside. He was just unconscious. But now that he was…

_I have to move him somewhere out of the way. I can't leave him here._

Gathering his limp form in his arms, Naruto stood and spared Orochimaru (who had been watching the exchange with far too much amusement) another poisonous glare. Orochimaru ran a tongue along his bottom lip, daring him to try it. Naruto felt the attack coming and moved quickly, leaping out of the shallow crater and plunging into the forest. Trees made for cheap cover but any obstacle at this point was better than nothing.

"Dammit, Sasuke, you need to lose some weight!" he muttered under his breath. Carrying the man bridal style was slowing him down. He paused for a moment he didn't have to shift his burden onto his back. When he was settled, he moved on, just narrowly escaping Orochimaru's almost catching up to them.

The next several minutes were a blur to Naruto. Since he had to support Sasuke's weight, hand seals were out of the question and he could about forget gaining enough ground to put him down to execute any of his techniques. Every time he glanced over his shoulder, Orochimaru was practically right on his heels. Two rather large snakes appeared at some point and proceeded to flank the fleeing ninja, their long, smooth bodies flowing easily along the ground. Most of the time he couldn't even _see_ the blasted things. Only the scrape of scales along dry dirt kept Naruto's fox tuned ears alerted to their proximity. When each struck at him randomly, he was quick to dance out of range of their strikes. Once or twice he succeeded in kicking them in the head, causing the purple-black creatures to falter and give Naruto more ground.

Naruto's stomach began to clench in urgency. There just wasn't a good place to stop to put Sasuke down. On top of that, he was running out of loam - he recognized their surroundings. They were close to that open field he'd raced across carrying an injured Tenten. He would be more open to attack and more able to defend himself but, yeah, Sasuke.

"_Dammit_!" he swore for the umpteenth time.

He reached the open space and raced across it before stopped abruptly in the middle. Slowly he let Sasuke's body down and gently lay him to rest on the long grass. Positioning himself in front of him then, letting some of the fox's chakra define his whisker marks and color his eyes red, he prepared to meet Orochimaru head on. _I'm not letting you anywhere near Sasuke. _He didn't care that he was essentially about to play a human body shield… he's owed his former rival this since that day on the bridge trapped behind Haku's ice mirrors.

"Naruto…" A faint voice from behind and near his feet whispered.

"Don't move, _teme_." Naruto told him without changing his posture, readying a kunai to launch it the moment he saw Orochimaru emerge from the trees. "I'll fucking kill him before I let him near you again." He gave Sasuke a peripheral flicker of his gaze. "You okay?"

Sasuke stared up at Naruto, his eyes widening. The dobe was a better friend than he deserved… he couldn't just lie there and let him do all the work saving his unworthy, traitorous ass. He would never understand his friend's stubborn, passionate devotion to him. Not even after all of these years he'd had to think about it. The least he could do was return the favor. Though still feeling dizzy, he began to push up with his hand, trying to get up. He was shocked when Naruto's foot connected to his shoulder and gently pushed him back down. He swore angrily and knocked Naruto's foot away when he attempted to get up again.

"That's your problem, you never listen," he heard Naruto mumble. Chakra began to swirl in his palm, the telltale beginning of his most powerful jutsu.

Sasuke finished getting to his feet and swiped away the hair that had fallen in front of his face. "Don't call the kettle black, dobe." Activating his Sharingan, he started to make the hand seals for the Chidori. He was surprised when Naruto's free hand shot out and grasped him by the wrist.

"Wait," the blonde told him, watching the snakes emerge first into the field.

Okay, that made more sense. Sasuke moved to intercept the serpents while Naruto waited for Orochimaru to arrive in their wake. He blinked when instead of repelling the snakes back with an attack Sasuke just _stood_ there. What happened next completely dumbfounded him.

The snakes slowed and slid gracefully to a halt, both warily regarding him. Sasuke folded his arms and glared down at them.

"This is the thanks I get for not chopping your heads off last time?" he ground out.

"We're only obeying Master's summons," one snake argued lamely. "It's not like we want to do this," the other chimed in right after.

"Besides," the first one added shrewdly. "It's not like _you_ have a cause to object - you haven't summoned us for years!"

Sasuke narrowed his black gaze at them. "You terrified a six year old girl. I couldn't get Katana to sleep in her own bed for an entire month." He let the implication speak for itself.

The snakes regarded one another. "True enough," the second one acceded at length. "Consider yourself fortunate you're still under blood contract with us."

With that, in two twin puffs of smoke, the serpents were gone. Sasuke looked over his shoulder at Naruto. The blonde's mouth was hanging slightly open, quickly closing it when he took note of the smug expression on the Uchiha's face. _That baka still has pull no matter the situation! _He internally ranted. _What the hell is it about him? Charisma no jutsu!_

"Sasuke…" Naruto began suddenly.

He knew. "Aa," he replied softly.

Like a shadow coming to life, Orochimaru appeared at that very moment, stepping into the field as if he'd been strolling along and not had been in hot pursuit. Both men tensed and automatically moved to flank each other. Naruto's Rasengan was at full strength now.

"Think you can do a Chidori _without_ passing out?" Naruto muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Fuck you."

Naruto brought his gaze back up front and just grinned semi-wickedly.

* * *

"Agh!" 

I grabbed a passing branch with both hands and hung on for dear life. The terrain going down hill was rough and slippery. Loose rocks and thick roots covered much of the topsoil, making the downward trek hazardous. Reynard said there was no other way around it so unless I wanted to extend my journey by another several days by avoiding this route, this was my only means of getting back to my team. Granted I was used to this kind of travel however it didn't mean I had any less difficulty with it. Tree travel would have axed out the trip factor except if I missed a branch it would be a long and painful fall. I'd had about enough of freefalling!

Reynard, that furry menace, navigated the treacherous turf with typical _kitsune _grace. He looked like he was having the time of his life - all grins, perky ears and swishing tail_. Yeah easy for him, _I thought, grumbling inwardly. _He's in his element, me, I'm coming out of this with skinned knees and a bruised ego. Bad enough my ankle is still tender from before._

"_Oi_." I called to my mischievous guide ahead of me. "Do you think you could do something about my ankle?"

_:What would you like me to do:_

"Gee," I snapped, "I wonder! I'm favoring it pretty badly here."

_:And:_

"And…" I glared.

Reynard distended his nostrils, amused. _:I'm not a_ kirin, _human, I can't fix your injuries presto.:_

"But you fixed my voice."

_:Two different things, kit.: _That matter of fact tone was starting to piss me off.

"_Nani?_ How are they different?"

_:That one was a defunct after-effect of a spell, this is a physical injury to the body made by physical means.: _He looked back at me._ :Get it:_ I glowered. _:All right then.:_

"I hate you." Frustration was taking the lead here.

_:And you amuse me.:_ Laugh. _:I haven't had this much fun in at least two centuries:_

"Yeah, at _my_ expense. Bastard." I untangled my arm from a passing vine, finally freeing it with a brutal yank.

_:Tomato, tomahto.:_ He sang, twitching his whiskers gleefully.

"_Shizukani_." I picked my way down a particularly difficult patch of roots until I was standing by the fox's side again. He beamed at me, I smirked back and we continued along. After a while, I spoke up again. "Forgive me for being curious, but where were we before that was so dangerous?"

Reynard did not look at me. _:There are some things in this world you can't get a fox spirit to comment upon. This being one of them, I'm afraid I can't tell you any more than that.:_

"'Kay." It wasn't but I wasn't in the mood to press him for more. He was my guide by virtue of his good heart; I couldn't repay him with an interrogation. "How did you rescue me then?"

_:I assumed the form of a human and caught up with you when the current gentled. I had to kill about thirty Atokata before I was actually able to save you.:_ He whuffed. _:Annoyances… they're nothing for something like me.:_

"A human?" I was interested. "_Oi,_ can I see?"

_:Um, no.:_ He appeared uncomfortable.

"Why not?"

_:Because.:_

"Because why?"

_:Because I don't feel like it.:_

I heeled him in the ribs, knocking the hapless critter over. He barked peevishly and snapped at me. I danced to the side out of range by reflex. "What can it hurt?"

_:A lot. I only take human form in combat or when I need to feed on life spirit.:_

I fought another urge to kick him again. "All right," I allowed. "Why do you need to take on human form to feed on life spirit then?"

_:Well:_ Reynard began, the feel of his voice too guiltily laced with satisfaction for my comfort area. _:Generally different species don't like having interspecies sex so I have to change into something humans would want to have sex with. One good long session and I'm good to go for about twelve months.:_

"WHAT!" I clapped both hands over my ears and turned beet red. The beast snickered heartily.

_:You asked.:_

And I would never ask again. "Ugh." I shuddered, hunching my shoulders together. Bad mental images assaulted the back of my brain and I quashed them forcibly to be rid of them. You reap what you sow.

I gasped when an arm went around my shoulders and pulled me in. "You're so upright, Uchiha, you need to _re_lax," a dulcet female voice whispered into my ear before giggling.

Alarmed I pushed back and stumbled to the side (damn rocks!), back encountering the trunk of a tree, staring wide eyed with my heart in my throat. _The hell…?_

A young woman of about sixteen was standing where no one had been before. How had she…? Where had she…? Her hair was a rich red-gold spilling down in a waterfall to her hips. Her eyes were dark brown, her skin was flawless and her outfit was a bit too revealing. She had breasts that filled every inch of that leather halter-top and legs that went on forever. Everything about her appearance said _Fuck me_. Kakashi would have had a nosebleed, Takashi would have passed out and Ichigo would have died. But when she shifted her weight, I saw that she had a little red fox tail.

"Reynard?"

She smiled and I was completely convinced of her identity at that moment. _"_Yep_."_ Hands splayed a waspy waist proudly. "But when I'm in this form you can call me Sakana." Wink.

"But you're male!" I exclaimed. "Why don't you turn into a man? And why the hell can you talk now?"

"Because _kitsune_ turn into women. My _fox_ form can't talk but my _human_ form can talk." She grinned evilly. "Why? Got a reason?"

"Hell no." I recovered and stood up again, shaking off the disorientation. "I'm only thirteen, I'm too young for that."

The fox, ur, Sakana snorted. "Tell me this the next time you and your teammate are feeling each other up." Oh she wanted to _die_ this one. Several days of travel with this cruel spirit and only now I was finding this out? Society preps and hammers logic into a human being's mind from the time they hit school age until pretty much the grave. When you're presented with something that goes up above and beyond what you know is true or possible, the brain has a bit of a time processing it. I'd seen a lot of weird shit but Reynard the Gender Switching _Youkai_ from Hell took the cake and ate it. And I had a feeling things were only going to be getting stranger from here on out.

Suddenly the fox woman looked around swiftly, eyes narrowing. Activating my Sharingan, I slipped back to her side. We slid back to back, me with my kobun, her… with nothing. But being a _kitsune_, I bet she had something else at the ready.

"Don't these guys ever give up?" I muttered, shifting from one black swathed ninja to the next, each melting from the trees and bushes like they had been living in-between the shadows.

These Atokata creeps were almost unreal, I thought maintaining my focus. Their determination was mind-boggling. No matter how many were killed, several more always appeared. I had thought at first they were using shadow replications but a look-see with the Sharingan revealed otherwise. Every one of these guys was the genuine article. What they lacked in finesse they made up for in other ways.

_Step down Akatsuki, you're officially number two on the Nukenin Badass Do Not Screw With Us list!_

"Either these guys have advanced methods of reproduction or they have the best recruiting success ratio in history," I muttered, eyeing them as they advanced on us slowly.

"Well, you're definitely the one we're looking for." The man in front of me intoned with finality. "Same smart mouth. Even if you hadn't had those eyes of yours, I still would have guessed."

_Same smart mouth…?_

"Watch out for that slut with the tail," called another from somewhere behind me on Sakana's side. "Took out most of us back near Konoha a week ago."

"Who you calling a slut you fucking moron?" Sakana hissed. "I'll bet you stick your… _umphf_!" The fox shut up when I jammed her from behind with my elbow. This situation was already dangerous enough. We didn't need to add more fuel to the proverbial fire. Fire…

_Oi, fox bastard, you know any fire jutsus? _I sent.

_:Please: _Sakana laughed in the same _kitsune_ voice in my head. _:Who do you think you're talking to: _I could have lived without the superiority riff.

Whatever. I didn't have time to be dealing with more of these idiots. I had some getting home to do. I formed the hand seals swiftly and inhaled.


	26. Check and Mate

Fighting along the side of a _youkai_ was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that probably came around, oh, maybe every other century. Can't say I considered it an honor. I did suppose I could thank my lucky stars he/she/whatever _was_ my travel companion. No way could I have taken on these assholes alone. Considering I usually struck out when it came to such decisions, I had to say this was turning out to be a vast improvement.

Not by much though.

Shuriken whistled by my ears like high caliber mosquitoes. One or two even managed to draw blood. My left cheek got grazed when I dodged too closely and again over my right eyebrow when I whipped around too late to defend. The blood was running into my eye, which meant having to stop every few seconds to messily wipe it off. Gruesome crimson marks streaked across my face and chin. Thankfully my ankle wasn't the hindrance I feared it would be. It was just gimping along the ground. Despite the handicap all of my moves involving my feet I was able to execute with surprising ease. Logically I knew for a fact it was because of the adrenaline coursing through my blood and later it was going to hurt like a son of a bitch. But later was later.

There weren't as many Atokata after me as I'd originally thought. No more showed up after the initial clash and as the sortie continued, the number of enemies dwindled drastically. No wonder why there. Sakana's massive fire attacks gave a whole new meaning to the word _obliteration_. This neck of the woods would never look the same way again. Of course I didn't have time to gawk at the scenery, I kind of had to save my own hide.

With workman like precision, I feinted off the blows of the Atokata member I was currently entangled with. Punch, kick, duck, kick again, guard, counter. It was like a choreographed dance, my movements calmly paced with his. So predictable, I thought disappointingly. Definitely not of the same stuff the other troupe that attacked me was, that was for damn sure. Patiently I let him back me down a lower trail, splashing through a tiny stream. Gaining an idea when I heard the impact of my foot with water, I swept down, scooped up a handful and tossed the droplets in the air. Making the two hand seals required, I whispered the name of the water jutsu.

The man's eyes widened when the suspended water droplets lengthened and at a high velocity of speed struck him from head to foot wherever they landed. He lost his balance, teetered and I helped him along by kicking him squarely in the ribs. Thud. He stared up into the treetops, the surface of his body steaming. I tasted blood from the cut on my cheek at the corner of my mouth and spit absently.

The attack was a jutsu that involves forcing water to move at a high rate of speed over a short distance. It's so fast, the air friction causes it to superheat and burn whatever it collides with. I'd copied it three weeks ago off a scroll I'd found in a bookstore in the backroom when the shopkeeper wasn't looking. Deeming the jutsu a solo project, I spent nights out on the training grounds with a bucket of water perfecting it. One log took so much abuse someone actually _replaced_ it a week after I started! There had even been a _note_ addressed to _me_ on it!

_These are expensive. As a courtesy to others, please vary targets. -- HK_

The Atokata man wasn't dead… he still twitched and squirmed on the ground anxiously. I grinned wickedly. Good. I wasn't done with him yet. Standing with one foot planted on either side of his body, I grabbed his front collar and lifted him halfway off the ground, letting his wide eyes meet the dark red swirling tomoe of mine.

"What do you want with me?" I spoke softly, evenly, my voice carefully laced with murderous intent. "This is a little much to capture one little girl, don't you think?"

"I-It's not us!" he stammered. "We… we were hired!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Hired? Bullshit. You guys don't work for anyone but yourselves."

"It's true!" He stiffened in absolute fear, suffering inside the genjutsu I was folding over his mind to get him to cooperate. Sweat ran down his face as he bit his bottom lip, making it bleed, shutting his eyes against the images assaulting his frontal lobe. "I'm not lying!" he mewled pathetically when I twisted the fabric around his throat. It was fortunate for me he had such weak will, otherwise I wouldn't have this much control.

"Then who hired you?"

"A m-man, a m-missing nin. He used to be one of our members, it's-it's why we agreed to the job!"

"What's his name?" I twisted his collar a little more, making him 'ack!'

"K-Kenryoku."

I stared at him for a long time, absorbing this skeptically. "The leader of Chinmoku. He's a former Atokata." Huh. "That makes sense." It made a _lot_ of sense, actually. Must have had a lot of pull when he was with them. The famously selfish group didn't dish out deeds for just anyone. But what would the leader of Chinmoku want with me? I'd never even seen him before nor crossed paths directly with him.

"What does he want with me?" I demanded with renewed vigor.

"L-Leverage."

"Against whom?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Wha… I almost dropped him then. My heart leapt into my throat and lodged in sideways. A so very slight tremble went through me. "Why?" I managed to get out. The word strangled in my throat. Determined to crack more out, I added a bit more chakra to the genjutsu.

His eyes bulged and he shrieked. "I don't know! Please!" he whimpered grabbing the sides of his head as if in great pain. "Oh God, st…! I've told you everything I know!"

I sighed, easing off. He was probably right. Oh well. Nothing lost and nothing gained. Disgusted I punched him over the head and the man was out like a light. Releasing him, his body thumped when it settled on the ground once more. I glared at him before gradually lifting my gaze. Shit. No time to ponder this new information now, several pajama retards were coming in for an intercept. Damn where the hell was Sakana? I swear that stupid _kitsune_ had traded brains for breasts when he had transformed.

_I could really use some help here!_

Well, no point in waiting around. A quick eye check told me this was a bad spot for a battle. I needed open ground. I grabbed a tree limb and swung into the upper canopy, using the treetops to accelerate my getaway. The ground level here was even so I didn't have to worry about treacherous sheer drops.

Ouch. Every impact on my ankle threatened to unbalance me. Crap. I clenched my teeth together and simply bit it. I had to. Perhaps it wouldn't matter anyway since I sensed an opening. Just another twenty or so yards ahead, looks like. _I can make it. _I let my momentum carry me. _Almost there, it's getting brighter… Oh God, you've got to be kidding me!_ I groaned in dismay.

The open ground I had been anticipating wasn't what I thought it was. It was an opening all right however it was by no term of the definition 'ground.'

Can we talk lake? A very large, very wide, very _watery_ lake.

Tempted to curse wild bloody oaths fit to melt off a nun's ears, I elected to focus sending my chakra to my feet. Toward the middle I dared look back and when I did, my heart slipped right into my stomach and continued on down to my feet. _Aw shit._ The five I counted chasing after me were beelining across that water as if it still were the very earth itself.

"Well, that's just fucking peachy." Eyeing each enemy in turn, I let a rare smile stretch across my lips. Considering the blood on my face and my ragged appearance, it served to disturb them a bit. They took not so perceptible steps back. Even with the discouragement I inspired in them, they formed a circular fashion around me, essentially cutting off all escape routes. I was trapped like a water rat.

_Dilemma._ _Options_. My eyes dropped briefly to my reflection on the gently rippling water. A flash of that training day at the lake back in Konoha went through my head. I looked up again, feeling the panic bleed out to soak up a surge of hopeful confidence. I positioned my hands for the seal. _Wait_. I gave pause. If I performed this jutsu while I still standing out over open water I would get trapped in it too. Dammit. My hands clenched into fists. _My plans never work!_

They rushed at me in that moment. Keeping in constant motion was the only way to avoid some of the more deadly strikes. Holes and tears appeared in my dress. Nicks to the bare skin on my arms and legs were numerous and bled, stinging at times when water would splash on me during more vigorous attacks. I don't think I'd ever fought as many ninja that fast on my own in my whole life. They might be mediocre ninja but for what they lacked in talent, they made up for in so many other ways.

So it eventually happened. One of them got past my guard and grasped me by the throat. It was easy to see how. This Atokata member was _huge_. He was easily six, hell, seven foot four with a wider girth than Akimichi Chouji - and the Academy teacher was a pretty big guy! His fingers went all the way around my slender throat, his fingertips easily meeting on the other side. My feet cleared the water, kicking involuntarily as I felt my weight sag down, clawing at the nin's tight grip. My head felt compressed, as if pressure were being exerted on either side of my ears. Don't pass out, _don't pass out…don't… pass…out…_My vision filled with sparkles and began to gray at the edges. Desperately I tried to kick him but his arm was holding me away from his body so I struck nothing but air.

Meanwhile the large man chortled at his pretty prize, his seamy eyes brimming over with perverted delight as he watched me struggle to breathe. That scared me even more than the prospect of my own death. Dread engulfed me and for a terrifying moment, I felt like I was paralyzed.

_Calm, Katana, calm. _I told myself. _Go to your happy place. Thinkthinkthink…First part of the jutsu… its original form… before you combined it with Chidori. Think about that. What did I do, what did I do! _

"Fuck!" I gasped my knuckles white from the effort of trying to hold my entire body weight up. Letting go for one suffocating moment, I quickly made the single hand seal for it. Twisting around swiftly, going on my last reserve of stamina, I hooked one leg over the nin's arm. Curling one arm around it, I stretched out with my free arm toward his chest. Just one touch, please. One.

Closer. Closer. One fingertip. Two. Three. Palm. Flat. Spread fingers. NOW. The effect was immediate and horrifying.

The Atokata member gasped, gray eyes going wide as he felt a jolt of pain shoot through his heart and exit through his back in an arch of electricity. He was dead before he released me and hit the water with a resounding splash. I had just enough wit to kick off the entrance point where my hand had been and propelled myself into the air. I knew what happened with this jutsu and I was determined not to be a victim of my own devices.

A chorus of agonized yells rose up below me as I ascended. Controlling the leap, I forced my body to flip, somersault and point itself to land on shore. I almost made it - my feet hit a shallow end up to my ankles. It was enough. Unbelievable pain shot up my calves and I shrieked, having just enough control over my nervous system to stumble and stagger to shore before collapsing onto my side, breaking the contact between my body and the water. Clutching at my heart, I lay on my side with my back to the lake. Painfully I forced myself to turn over and look out. Against my palm, my heartbeat was fast and erratic.

All five men, including the one I'd used as the conduit, were floating in the water. Dead from electrocution. Water made one hell of a conductor… and I'd almost paid for the successful victory blow with my life. Again.

Rolling over onto my stomach, I pushed up with my arms and started to stand up.

A hand grabbed me by the hair and a kunai pressed against my throat. My eyes widened _-- why hadn't I sensed his chakra!_ I completely froze. When he forced my neck to bend back I got a good look at my captor. He grinned cruelly and I got an up close observation of his features. Leather faced in a roughneck sort of way, he looked like a man who had called earth, tree and rock home for a long time. Scars trailed down from his eyes like tears, accented by a red triangle tattoo mark on his chin. Every exposed inch of skin bore scars of various lengths and sizes. He wore a bandanna and his clothes were the hallmark red and brown colors associated with members of the mercenary group, Chinmoku.

He spoke when he was sure I was meeting his gaze. "Impressive move out there, sweetheart. You're definitely a chip off the old block. But this is over." He exhaled and looked up at the other similarly garbed members of his pack now standing around us. "Look long at this example, men: If you want something done, you should always do it yourself."

"Huh. The Atokata must be losing its touch," muttered one of them distastefully. "I thought they were supposed to be good."

"I'll say. Beaten by a Genin," another chimed in. "They're better off stealing wallets and shoes. 'Bout all they're good for if you ask me."

The one holding me by the hair shrugged. "I overestimated them. But they were good enough to herd her toward us so it's not the loss it could have been." He finished the rest of his sentence looking at me again, the grin spreading back in place. I attempted to shy away and he rewarded that by twisting my hair around his fist further, causing me to yelp.

"Your name, girl."

I closed my mouth and glared at him. He already knew my name. Fuck like I was going to confirm for _him_. I didn't make a sound when he shoved my head to the ground roughly. Tears jolted into my eyes.

"I'm not above using torture to get you to cooperate." His voice was cold. "I'd hate to destroy that fragile little mind of yours. Your Sharingan at this level is no match for my genjutsu. Your name. _Now_."

I bit my lips together and glared at him. I did not speak.

He sighed, as if it were a great tragedy. "They never listen." Grabbing my head in both hands he looked me right in the eye. That's the last thing I comprehended before -- _there was blood everywhere, everyone was dead, butchered, hacked, begging for mercy and… and… stopstopstop! _I was screaming a minute later at the top of my lungs. He released me and I fell against the ground, horror and tears streaked across my face. The man straightened up slowly, watching me stare straight ahead at nothing.

"If formality is the issue," he began quietly, "then so be it. My name is Kenryoku. These men are my subordinates. You're a prisoner of Chinmoku and, until the foreseeable future, a prisoner you will remain." Pause. "Now tell me your name."

"Uchiha…" I faintly whispered from afar. "Uchiha Katana."

"Katana." He grinned, showing very white and very sharp teeth. "A pleasure to meet you." The smile vanished immediately and he pointed from me to his men. "Tie her hands and feet and then drug her. I don't want to take any chances."

So weakened and drained was I by the mental assault, I couldn't do more than curse and snarl deadly retributions while they bound me up. Then finally they forced a pill into my mouth, made me swallow and gagged me. My arms and legs grew numb and my whole body went limp. But my brain stayed very much awake.

"Heh," one of them gave me a grin that chilled me to the very core when he saw my wide-eyed terror. "There's all kinds of fun we could have with you so be a good girl and behave yourself."

Kenryoku struck the lech in the stomach and glared down at him as he writhed at his feet. "The girl is off limits. I catch any one of you touching her I'll kill you. Bait is no good when it's been spoiled."

_Reynard! Where are you? REYNARD! _I screamed inside my head. _Tasukete!_

I got a reply. It was very faint, very far away.

_:I'm trying…I killed most of them…:_ The _kitsune_ sounded enraged, helpless. _:But… these humans… one of them knew a _youkai_ sealing jutsu and was able to bind me. It won't hold me forever though… I won't be able to free myself for a few days.:_

A few… _days_? I shut my eyes, oblivious to what was going on around me as they prepared to cart me off. Hot, itchy tears slipped down my cheeks. It was absolutely the worst news I had ever heard in my entire life.

_:I am so sorry.: _Genuine remorse laced that one. _:I am so so sorry…:_

_Shut up._

_:Katana…:_

_No. Don't say anymore. You did what you could. I can't expect everyone to protect me all of the time. That's not fair, not to me and not to you. I'll figure something out. These guys aren't smarter than me. I'll find a way._

The mental roar of a demon fox was a sensation one should never forget. His feelings were in intense shades of dark blood and moonless night. The vicious anguish echoed another in my mind with a conviction of its own. Hadn't the paralysis been a full body occupant, I would have given in to the grief it wrought upon me. In my mind I focused on the face of Ichigo. He needed to hear the thing he wanted me to say. And I wanted to say it. Those goofy grins of his just made my day even though I wouldn't be caught dead ever admitting that out loud.

_I will not give up. _Because really, what was the point of living if you couldn't _be_ with the ones you loved? What was the point of protecting someone if you couldn't at least _try_ to do it? _What the hell was the point of living at all if you couldn't find at least one good reason in the world to live for?_

I lived for my team. I lived for my home. I lived to see my father again… I lived to make him smile. I had _four_ damn good reasons for living. No. I would not die here.

* * *

Minoru Takami reached his destination to make it for the appointed rendezvous within minutes. Afterwards he thanked his escort with profuse gratitude, hailing their reputation as Konoha ninja far surpassing what he'd heard and so on and so forth. The praise rang hollow for Ichigo whose mind remained elsewhere and out of reach. Takashi merely nodded, accepting the endorsement with stoic aplomb. Neither boy said one word since they arrived in the small village and were strangely silent and compliant. When it came time to leave the morning of the next day (as per the contract), Takami personally saw them off at the exit. He would be escorted home by this village's resident ninja when his task was completed. 

"I hope you find that young woman," he told Kakashi, looking at the forlorn figures of the boys loitering around the exit, waiting for their sensei. "She seemed like a good person. I'd hate to think of what might have befallen her. You will let me know if you find her?"

Kakashi was touched. "Aa." He too looked after the boys. Takashi was leaning against the village gate, kind of staring at the ground. Ichigo paced restlessly, casting impatient looks Kakashi's way, the expression on his face strained and angry. It was taking all of the boy's self-control to keep him there. Any more delay and he would take off without them.

"Good luck with the talks."

"Yes. Thank you"

They exchanged brief bows and parted ways.

When Kakashi approached the brooding boys, he could feel their determination as something tangible. It had been a long time since he'd seen such vehement expressions. Ichigo looked just like his mother when he set his face like that, he mused absently.

"I sent the ninja dogs off this morning while you both were still asleep." He explained at length. They nodded; they knew about the dogs. "If they find anything, Pakkun will inform us. At this rate they'll be able to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. I also sent a courier off to the Hokage to inform her of our delay. It'll give us more time at any rate."

"Where will we be searching?" Takashi queried suddenly. He had not spoken since last night. "Obviously she's not in the river. Due to the nature of the landscape, even a corpse would have difficulty going out to a larger body of water." Ichigo winced when he said that.

"True." Kakashi agreed thoughtfully. The Hayabusa kid was familiar with his territory. "The streams between where she fell and the nearest lake are too shallow for us to have missed anything. So we can eliminate that possibility."

"Then where _can_ we look?" Ichigo burst out frantically, gesturing wildly with his arms. Not waiting for a reply, he kicked at the ground and started moving ahead at a fast clip. "Argh! I'm not standing around here anymore!"

Rather than call him back, Kakashi and Takashi silently followed suit. Idle conjecture never made for a successful mission -- and Kakashi suspected Ichigo had sensed what he was too kind to imply directly. There was a better-than-good chance Katana was dead. It did no good to settle on it yet. Again there were those burnt Atokata corpses to consider. The severity of the burns indicated it was a high level fire jutsu that had caused their deaths, yes, but he couldn't be certain if Katana was the one responsible. Perhaps an intervening party had intercepted? Sigh. Better to wait for word from Pakkun. If there were clearer answers to be sought, the little pug dog would find them.

"It's my fault." Kakashi glanced at the redhead. "I let her slip. I should have held on tighter…" The boy trailed off, a dark cloud cast in his troubled eyes. "If she's dead it's because of me."

It was starting already and he was actually relieved he was so forthcoming in voicing his torment. He decided to shut it down before it spread through the boy like a disease. "Katana is a kunoichi," he replied, his lazy delivery augmented by the no-nonsense undertone. "She accepts that the life of a ninja carries the high risk of death - even her own. She was raised that way. She wouldn't want you blaming yourself."

"But I…"

"Enough."

Obviously unwilling Takashi struggled before hardening his expression, locking up everything once again. It was probably best to let him alone for the time being. As for Ichigo… He watched the boy leading them, unable to discern his expression simply because all he could see was the back of his head. It was hard to tell. He was closest to the girl yet of the three of them, he was showing the least anguish. Had to credit those Uzumaki genes, they just didn't allow despair to have a fighting chance. Still he should have anticipated what happened later on that night. Should have stayed awake to stop them when Ichigo got up to relieve himself to make sure he came back. He should have sensed Takashi leave only minutes later. But instead six hours after they stopped for camp, just shy of the gray dawn of the morning, Kakashi woke to find both Ichigo and Takashi missing.

* * *

Tsunade was alone in her office when she received Kakashi's courier. If she thought the shadow team's message had been an earthquake, this message was the aftershock. In a way it was worse: no matter how you looked at it, ninja or not, a missing child was always a great source of distress and anxiety. That the Atokata were involved made the situation more ominous - and though she hated to think it - close to hopeless. In the five years Konoha had known of the Atokata's existence, not one missing person with that name connected to their disappearance had ever been found alive, if they were found at all. When a body _was_ found, it was always a ghastly, tragic discovery. Atokata were fond of leaving call cards on their victim's bodies and it was always the same momento: a piece of paper with the kanji _"Zan'nen da!"_ pinned to their clothes. It was a cruel mockery. 

Laying the message scroll aside, she allowed her hands to rest on her face, her fingertips gently massaging her temple, her elbows keeping her head up. Twilight had deepened the shadows, shadows that danced and jumped with the presence of a single lit candle to the right of the woman's elbow. A martini glass with an olive sat to the upper left.

"It's happening again," she whispered, peering through a cage of fingers at the figure lounging on the sofa across the small room. "The circumstances are different but…Tch." A sigh slipped out. "It's a curse, like my bad luck."

"Oh don't say that." The figure sat up, allowing the minute light to make his weathered features visible. His eyes still held that merry twinkle. "For what it's worth, I think things _have_ turned out differently. Better than I expected."

"Oh?" Tsunade lowered her hands, a thin amusement appearing on her upper lip. "Since when are you so optimistic, old man?"

Jiraiya chuckled, rubbing his neck. "I'm not, really. Optimistic that is. Heh." He sat up straighter. "I've watched these kids. As for the missing Uchiha girl..." Pause. "As you know, Sasuke took great pains to keep the girl in the shadows. It was fortunate for him she possessed the disposition suited for such a limited life. Had she rebelled, things would have been troublesome for them. More so than they already were." He exhaled. "Besides I'm not the kind of person who breaks up families." His expression became serious. "There's something else. I know he's the one who led Naruto and the others out of here."

Guilty as charged. Tsunade lowered her eyes. There was no point in denying it. She had been wondering when he'd bring it up.

"Can I ask you something?" he began after a brief silence.

"…Mm."

"If he were to return again, for good, what would you do? He would be your last loose end from that time."

Tired, Tsunade fluttered her eyes shut. "I will do my duty as Hokage of this village. Regardless of the kind of person he is now, he must answer for his crimes. I will show no quarter." She paused. "But…" A grin quirked her formerly grim set mouth and she opened her eyes. "Now is not the time for what-ifs. Time is no ally and I have a lot to do." Her wrist flicked. It was her form of dismissal.

Heartened, Jiraiya just laughed. "I'll let you know if I find anything," he said by way of farewell before teleporting out of the Hokage's office.

* * *

The sun began to touch the tip of the western horizon of the former Anzen stronghold. Its rich rays of violent red-gold splashed across the landscape like paint. The three ninjas' battle had long since degenerated from an outright onslaught of epic proportions to a slash-and-dash duck-and-run fiasco. Sweat and blood made their uniforms cling uncomfortably to their heated skin. Each man's impeccable aim began to falter. A shuriken either hit wide of the mark or struck an unintended target. Most times they simply hid out, catching their wind, sometimes compressing a wound to stop bleeding. Even Naruto's Kyuubi reserves were taking more time after the last to heal the smallest of injuries. Sasuke used his favorite forms of stealth against Orochimaru… all that seemed to have a disturbing lack of affect on the Sannin. At least the desired one: to kill him. He had to content himself with several expressions of shock and dismay when the Uchiha popped another surprise on him. He needed to find an opening soon. Sasuke was dangerously low on chakra. If he kept going at this rate, he wouldn't be able to stand for much longer. One quick look at Naruto confirmed he was nearing his limit as well, though from the steel in his smoldering blue eyes, he knew the baka would be the last one to admit it. 

_If we don't find somewhere to hide and rest, we won't last another second._

He waited until he was completely out of Orochimaru's sight. Then he retreated into the dense undergrowth. He found what he was looking for after a quick eye-search: one of the hollow trees. Halfway entering it, he silently gestured to Naruto to come inside too. The blonde nodded and followed Sasuke, closing the door firmly behind him. Without a word, Sasuke retreated to the furthest side of the space away from the door and sat down against the 'wall'. He smirked when Naruto attempted to straighten up and hit his head. He mouthed "Ow!" winced and then plopped beside him, rubbing at the sore spot. Their arms barely touched in the circular space.

Sasuke involuntarily flinched when Naruto leaned close to him, presumably to whisper something. He saw the dark haired man twitch and stared at him. It was dark inside the tree so they could barely make out each other. "You okay?" he spoke in the softest voice he'd ever heard the noisy ninja use.

He grunted affirmation. "You?"

"Fine."

They fell into a long silence after that, waiting for the chakra of their mutual enemy to move away from the immediate area. Heavy contemplation hung heavy in the air between them, creating an inevitable atmosphere of unease. Now that they had a moment, the "thing" hanging above their heads was quickly turning into an eight-hundred-pound gorilla. Sasuke hated it.

A slow trickle of blood slipped down his face, the warm wetness crawling across his pale skin. His companion saw and dug into one of the pockets on his Jounin uniform, casually holding out a small length of cloth to him. "You're bleeding."

"So are you."

Frown. "Not the point. You don't want it in your eyes." He emphasized _your_.

"I'm fine."

"Sasuke."

"What are you, my daughter?" The tired retort didn't have the desired effect. Sasuke just wasn't up for a bantering session right now. So he just took the offering and wiped it off. Naruto smirked when it was tossed back in his lap ungratefully and gave a tolerant sigh, stuffing it back into a pocket. Once a bastard always a bastard.

"What are we going to do?" Naruto began after a long bout of silence had passed. His eyes were closed and he let his head connect gently with the inside wall.

"We hide." Sasuke didn't understand the connoted tone, or at least he pretended not to. "And we recover."

Elbow nudge. "Heh, done deal." More quietly he continued. "After this."

"I'm not thinking that far ahead."

Naruto looked frustrated. "Sasuke!" he insisted. He was not going to let the other guy use his usual evasive tactics.

Knowing he couldn't keep dodging, Sasuke looked away. _You can't run forever. This isn't going to kill you. _Though if it wasn't going to hurt a whole hell of a lot.At length, very carefully, he spoke. "I made that choice. I'd make it again."

No. The Jounin clearly did not like that. It hurt to see the anger that flashed in Naruto's face just then but he had to say it. He took a deep breath. "If I hadn't… I would… I wouldn't…" Fuck. He was no good at this.

But for some reason Naruto was smiling now, a thousand untranslatable emotions reflecting in his eyes, seen even in the darkness. "Don't strain yourself, _teme_."

Sasuke misunderstood. He narrowed his eyes. "Dammit, Naruto…!" He was _trying_ and he… and he…

Naruto kept that infuriating grin on his face. "I didn't die, Sasuke."

He stared at Naruto, confused. "… Why… didn't you…" God, that it was hard to say but all this time… he needed to know.

Mentally bracing himself, Naruto sat up and used a minute amount of chakra to bring it to the surface. "You're not the only one with weird marks on his skin." He pulled apart his vest and pulled up his shirt. Sasuke squinted at it and then he looked back up at Naruto's face.

The shirt went back down. "Orochimaru never told you, did he."

He shook his head. "Orochimaru isn't the kind of person that volunteers information if it doesn't benefit him in some way." Slight furrow of his forehead. "He knew?"

"_Hai_. All the adults at the time did… because they were the only ones who could have known." Naruto chewed over his thoughts for a while. "Remember back then how everyone used to treat me like I was nothing? Well, heh, there was a reason for it. It wasn't a _good_ reason but…" Naruto appeared to brace himself again, debating. Years ago he would have been so afraid to tell someone - anyone - about his unwelcome tenant. Ironic that the last person to find out would be the one person he had wanted to tell the most.

So without further reservation, he plunged ahead. From the day he was born up until the first time he felt the Kyuubi as something else inside him. The strange cat-red eyes, the monstrous chakra, the unexplained speedy recovery from impossible injuries, and the frightening power he'd fought against and barely survived at the Valley of the End. It all made a strange kind of sense. He felt like an idiot.

"Naruto," he began after a while when his friend was finished talking. "You could have told me."

"Yeah." The fox vessel appeared suitably contrite. "I'd thought about it. I know it would have… it would have helped you understand. I wanted to but I was afraid you'd… heh, but it happened anyway so not telling you didn't do me any good." Sigh. "Guess we both fucked up, huh."

Sasuke hung his head somewhat, faintly amused. "I don't think so." He wasn't looking at him but he could see that Naruto was absolutely _beaming_. The stupidest things always did make that dobe happy, he thought. "But… if I hadn't…"

Another smile appeared faintly on his face. Naruto shook his head. "I would never ask you to unwish that, Sasuke." He punched the other man lightly in the shoulder. "Still even if you didn't want to come home you _could_ have written, idiot."

"Hn… I couldn't afford stamps."

"Bullshit."

"Yeah." Naruto's eyes widened when Sasuke acceded. "No more excuses."

Abruptly the blonde started to get up. He gave his friend a look, telling him everything he needed to know. Naruto was finished with discussing the past. _You don't need my forgiveness. It's us, Sasuke, you and me. If we have to talk about it, we never really were friends._ He heard this as clearly as if the man had spoken it aloud.

Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment before rising as well.

They left the hollow tree.

Catching up to the snake Sannin was remarkably easy. Orochimaru had doubled back and reassessed his territory, rightly assuming he'd missed them. He got a rather rude wake up call when Sasuke exploded the tree limb he was perched upon right out from under him. There had been no warning whatsoever.

There shouldn't have been, Sasuke snorted in light derision. He'd placed exploding tags strategically throughout the canopy, leaving to chance that Orochimaru would land on one of them. When he came upon one, Sasuke made the appropriate hand seal, blowing the limb and most of the surrounding foliage into little green floating bits of debris. He was disgruntled to see Orochimaru land unharmed upon the ground. The white-faced phantom tilted his head back and looked straight up at Sasuke who was dangling rather ungraciously by his hands. He smiled his creepy smile and made that annoying chuckling noise in the back of his throat. Even with sweat and dirt clinging to his nearly threadbare clothes, the bastard still managed to look composed and confident. It was enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

He checked on Naruto from the corner of his peripheral vision. He caught Sasuke's eye and smiled calmly. Making sure his friend was watching he pulled a kunai out his pocket and held it out, dangling from his fingers teasingly.

_What is he doing?_

He let it go.

And then Sasuke made a mistake. He blinked. After he did that his whole body just froze. He was gone. Naruto had _disappeared_.

The kunai continued to fall then - Orochimaru frowned when he saw Naruto grin at him from his disadvantageous position.

Then in the next blink, he was no longer there - the kunai disappeared - then… Before he could react, he felt the edge of a blade cut into his neck, a body behind him right flush against his back, and the feel of his own blood draining down his chest in a warm liquid flow.

_"Shunshin no jutsu…?" _he hissed breathily.

Naruto grinned wickedly. _No replacement technique, huh?_ "Don't worry," he spoke low into the dying man's ear. "I'll apologize to Jiraiya for you. He wanted to kill you himself, you know." _Sorry I stole your thunder, Ero-Sannin_.

Orochimaru's dreams of immortality, his kinjutsu against death - the very thing he feared - had been a constant touchstone for him. It was the gift that kept on giving; though it had been at the expense of so many young faces, he had felt the sacrifices were justified. He still did even now. Every single measure he had taken, every experiment, every move he had made had been meticulously calculated and well-planned out. His ambition to destroy Konoha - that black stain on his consciousness - was close to being realized. So when he felt that cold-hot sensation of the kunai slide deep into his throat, purging the gleam from his yellow eyes, his first thought was of disbelief at the…at the _ease_ of this, the utter stupidity of it all. This was not how things were supposed to go. Death had been beaten. Even should it chance to stare him in the eye, it would not be in the form of this blue eyed Kyuubi brat who had never been anything other than an eternal fool trapped within a laughable dream. This kid with the sunshine hair and the idiot smile kill _him_? Like _this? _Ridiculous.

He was close to being right. Although he would never know because it was at that point Chidori connected with its target. Orochimaru's neural centers went dead, lost in an explosion of heated chakra and a rain of blood. Surprised and pleased in the throes of his death, his last flicker of thought was sheer happiness. Things had gone the right way after all. Pity that he could not live to enjoy it. He grasped Sasuke's arm and with the last of his strength, pulled it forward in one fluid move. At least he could do _this_.

The last thing Orochimaru heard before he died was the sound of his spine cracking.

* * *

Sasuke's world was made of blacks and whites with areas of gray and red. Itachi had been in the black part of that world, his family and friends in the white and Orochimaru in the gray. The red was the Sharingan, dyeing the colors to match the ultimate shade of one. He had a good grasp of these shades. They allowed him to discern between his choices, making them easier, limiting the scope of his options. Do or not do, kill or be killed. For a man often filled with rage, frustration and regret, they provided a welcome reprieve. Life was simpler in colors. 

When Naruto gasped and choked over the now-dead missing nin's shoulder the dullness in his crazy blue eyes purged out the chosen tints of Sasuke's world. Blood ran from the man's lips and down his chin. With his arm sticking through the chest of his former master, Sasuke wondered why there was so much blood… and why the hell was Naruto coughing, he had controlled his descent, it shouldn't have pierced…

Then he remembered what Orochimaru had done just before he died.

Oh no…

Sheer reflex and horror made Sasuke withdraw his hand swiftly from the bloody cavity, the action followed by a sickening sucking noise. Freed from its medium, Orochimaru's body fell forward, first to its knees before it toppled lifelessly sideways. Death was the only enemy the snake had thought he had defeated. Little had he known to him it had lurked quietly hidden, waiting for its chance to strike; mortality had had its revenge.

Naruto stood for a moment longer before the strength in his legs gave and he collapsed. Sasuke caught him across his blood-gloved arm. Blood was everywhere now. The gruesome puddles and rivers created a crimson lake around the two ninja. Most of it poured freely from Naruto's chest and the corners of his mouth. His eyes gazed up half-lidded at his friend; the sky of his eyes faded and gray.

Realizing fully now what had happened, what was happening and his sheer powerlessness against it, Sasuke lost his equilibrium in the world. This was not the way things were supposed to go! _Why am I always hurting you… why…? I don't understand…_ He didn't care, didn't even realize he had lost control so completely. He ignored how Naruto watched him from his pain-hazed distance, ignored him until the blonde reached up and gently clasped the hand of the other attempting to stem the blood flow.

"Sasuke," he managed. "Quit bawling, _teme_, you're makin' me feel weird. Fuck… grow up already." He smiled, the effort weary but not strained, and made a 'heh' noise, adding a teasing, high-pitched nasal, "Sasuke-chan…"

His words had the desired effect. The dark haired shinobi choked, arduously unable to abide by pride when he was so obviously open and exposed. Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on drawing air into his lungs. Kyuubi was doing its job… he felt the demon's chakra slipping around inside him, hurrying to close the deep wound. He heard Sasuke call his name and opened his eyes again. He hated that look in those now-onyx eyes. Something… an emotion Naruto thought he'd never see. Sasuke attempted to hide it, namely by adding further pressure to the wound. Naruto helped himself breathe more easily by sitting up in Sasuke's arms. It was during this Sasuke tensed suddenly. He sucked in air, grew rigid, trembling wildly, grasping onto his injured comrade. It wasn't like what happened before… this was… from the way he was shaking, contorting… oh shit. Painfully Naruto braced the ground with one hand, - _getupgetupgetup!_ He watched with growing alarm as the Cursed Seal spread over his friend's flesh. Then it retreated into itself with impossibly fluid speed. His face froze in fear, paling, losing light… his eyes dulled… he tried to speak, desperately… "Naru…"

Suddenly Sasuke fell on Naruto's chest. He became very, very still. For a moment, he was terrified. It was the worst few seconds of his entire life.

Weakly he whispered his friend's name and shook him. Struggling valiantly - dammit Kyuubi was taking its sweet ass time today! - he sat all the way up, breathing laboriously. He turned his friend over. He made an animal whimper of despair. Sasuke's pulse was thready and his breathing was shallow and slow. "No…" he murmured, burying his face into Sasuke's neck. "Not when I just got you back. Not like this. Please." He opened his eyes again and stared, puzzled. Wait… _I'm seeing things_. He lifted his head and pulled down the collar of Sasuke's shirt, making sure he wasn't mistaken. In disbelief he palpated the region around his friend's neck, smoothing over the pale skin, assuring himself of the sight, that it was real.

The Cursed Seal was gone.

Naruto suddenly felt tired, more tired than he'd ever felt in his life. Gently laying Sasuke out, he pulled himself beside his friend's form, staring into the treetops where sunlight chanced to sliver through and fall in slivered shadows across their bodies. He smiled again, dreamily. Kind of like how the masked boy and that no-brow died. Heh. Ironic. So what. Maybe this really _was_ it. Somehow the finding of one person and regaining his friendship made becoming Hokage pale in comparison.

_You were always worth it, Sasuke. _

Then he heard the sweetest voice. He had hoped and prayed and wished and he never thought… Heh, well, maybe he shouldn't be so cynical. So when he felt her arrival he reached for her slim hand when she was close enough and grasped it.

"Sakura-chan…"

* * *

Sakura wasn't the type of person who let anything keep her back. Naruto's tenaciousness was infectious and over the years she had become saturated with his zest, adding it to her own, creating a determined mixture that kept her to her course. Neji had been the one who undid her. 

_"You've done enough. We'll be fine here," _he told her as the day began to draw to a close. _"They need you. You'll never forgive yourself if you don't go to them now."_

Alone she plunged through the trees, stopping here and there, stretching her senses out as far as she could. Along the way she saw the evidence of a long, continuous battle. Exploding tags, weapons embedded in trees, blood spatters and trails, bodies of ally and foe, craters in the earth, broken trees. Stopping once, she saw a familiar spiral carved into a tree trunk. Naruto had been here. She discovered going further, the tell-tale debris Rasengan left behind. Her heart sped up.

Hand resting on a tree, Sakura looked around. "Naruto?" she called, raising her voice. She held her breath for a minute, listening, watching. Inhaling, filling her lungs with air, she belted out: "NARUTO!"

"They're not here."

Sakura blinked in surprise. Looking around for the source, she spotted the voice's owner on the forest floor, leaning up against a tree. He smirked when their gazes collided. Recognizing him, she peered distrustfully down at him. "Where are they, then?" she demanded, clenching her fists together.

He shrugged.

Not willing to settle with the Sound dog's evasiveness, Sakura jumped to the ground and in one swift movement twisted his shirt in her fist and slammed him against the tree. "Where is Naruto?" she growled, her emerald eyes like cut rock. Their faces were so close, her hot breath ghosted on his face. "Tell me!"

He watched her carefully for a moment longer. "No need to be so harsh. Quarter mile in the direction behind you," he said suddenly. When she eyed him warily, he added. "I have no reason to lie to you, Sakura-san."

She let him go and stood back, fists raised just in case. But the other med nin shrugged again and took off, leaving one very puzzled kunoichi behind. What the heck was that about? She wondered, even as she spun around and headed in the direction he indicated. Oh well, she would ponder the thousands of implications of that later.

At first when she arrived on the scene, she was stricken by the amount of blood covering the area. There were three bodies lying on the ground, one of them a bit further away from the others. It was the first one she knelt to check. Ugh. She didn't need to touch him to make the official confirmation: the man was obviously dead. A huge gaping hole in his chest cavity was the most glaring evidence. The wide yellow eyes, the pale white skin and the clothes told her his identity. And he was real. He was really dead.

A small sound escaping her, Sakura dragged a hand across her damp forehead, slowly letting her lungs deflate. She let herself wallow in the relief, allowed the weight of his former existence drain from her soul. The release within was so intense she almost began to sob. _It's over, it's over, it's finally, finally over._

A bright spot of yellow drew her eye. Instantly she was up again, on the move, reaching for the hand reaching back for her. His smile shone through his bloodied appearance, discounting the injuries. Almost as if everything were happy and whole again, as if he had just woken from a lazy nap out in the sun. Of course this was Naruto, she thought. No situation was bad enough to stop _him_ from smiling. "Sakura-chan," he murmured.

"Don't talk, baka," she scolded, immediately moving to straddle him. He attempted to leer at her. Secretly relieved - if he felt like doing _that_ then he wasn't truly bad off - she smiled and lightly slapped his face before she positioned her hands, gathering chakra into them. "You can get fresh with me later." She winked at his mock-crestfallen expression, watching the chakra swirl beneath her palms, concentrating.

"Sakura…"

Yes, yes, she knew but she had to do this first. Naruto had to be out of danger before she could think about anything else. That Kyuubi demon was something else, she thought. There wasn't much else she could do except accelerate what was already in progress. The healing completed she lifted her hands and got off him. She moved on to check his companion, ignoring how Naruto scrambled to sit up even though she'd just chided him a second ago not to move.

_Sasuke-kun…_ Her hand automatically went to his neck to check his pulse, then to his hands (it was in her field experience when a person was dying, their hands went cold first). She put her ear to his chest and listened. Sighing through her mouth, she sat up and put a hand out to hover over the length of his body, chakra laced around her hand to wrist. As she did this quietly, she let her eyes take in his features. _Heh_. He had never given up that spiky hairstyle she was amused to note though it was longer than she remembered it. His elegant face retained its boyishness, making him look younger than he was. But there was nothing boyish about the rest of him… she blushed faintly. He was _definitely_ all grown up - and as forever suspected - no secret fantasies did justice to the real thing. Enlivened by a momentary curiosity, she pulled down the fabric around his collarbone.

It was enough answer for her. If Orochimaru's body was the ellipses, this was the punctuation mark.

It made her want to shout at the heavens and laugh like the young girl she no longer was. Instead she let her hand fall to rest on her leg. She breathed in once and exhaled slowly. "I think he'll make it," she reported softly. "His body is just in shock, probably from the Cursed Seal leaving it so suddenly." She glanced at him. "I assume this happened after Orochimaru's death?"

Naruto absently rubbed at his healed chest, never removing his gaze from his unconscious comrade. "Not right away…Yeah." He drew the back of his hand across his mouth to wipe away the residual blood. Heavily he leaned against Sakura's side. Only in front of her was he willing to look deadbeat and tired out. "Where'd you come from?" he said, their heads close. "You come out here by yourself?"

"No. Hokage-sama sent out another team to assist when the shadow team reported how bad things had gotten here. But by the time we got here, there wasn't much left to do. The enemy has mostly retreated and now with Orochimaru dead… I think we can expect that it's over with." Feeling weak, she turned her face into his shoulder. "I was so scared when I heard," she added in a soft whisper.

"Sakura-chan, you don't…"

"I do, okay? I can't help it."

Naruto smiled. Pause. "What's up with the head rag? You tryin' to be a pirate or something?"

For the light jest, she elbowed him hard, not minding his bruises.

He watched her reach out and gently move aside the hair around Sasuke's eyes, smoothing it back away from his face. Gradually she allowed her fingertips to glide over his cheek. Her thumb lingered over his chin, lightly stroking back and forth. When he finally looked at her face, he was surprised by what he saw. Sakura was smiling with that small, gentle smile he remembered she had only aimed at Sasuke during their Genin days. He realized he missed seeing it on her… even for all that it implied.

"Will he wake?" he ventured quietly, not sure why he was speaking so softly.

Taking her hand away, Sakura shook her head. "I want to say yes but for this… we'll have to wait and see."

_Wait and see._ Kami knew how used he was to that! Just because he had to, Naruto leaned over his friend and shouted two inches from his face: "ANO SA!" Sasuke did not respond. Deflated Naruto sat back on his heels and exhaled.

"That was… unnecessary."

Smartass grin. "I know."

She smacked the back of his head. He grinned again and Sakura laughed.

They needed to get back to the others. Exchanging glances and nods, they each took an arm, hoisted and balanced their unconscious comrade between them. After getting used to the extra weight, they took off into the trees.

"He sure is heavy, isn't he?" Sakura gently remarked, a light teasing smile stretching her lips.

"Ne, he is. But _no_ one's heavier than you." Devilish wink. "And I'm not going to accept that 'but I was pregnant!' excuse this time." A frosty glare shot his way made his grin grow even wider. "Don't think _that's_ going to work on me anymore, Sakura-chan. _I'm_ immune."

"Immune huh?" An evil smirk on a pink-haired framed face was a scary sight indeed. "Wait till we get back. You'll be be feeling it everywhere until you die. In fact you _may_ be dead before sundown." Mock glance around. "Oh look, it _is_ sundown! How nice for me."

"Meh. Bring it on."

"NA-RU-TO!" she growled, doubly shocked at his unusual bravado. She'd heard of battle making men amorous but she'd never quite expected it to make Naruto, of all people, into a cocky idiot. Okay, a cocki_er_ idiot but… Sakura smiled. She was willing to let it slide _this time_. This was one man who had definitely earned his bragging rights.


	27. Revelations and Impending Rescues

Ichigo was having a dream. He supposed it was a good dream although most of the time he couldn't remember them to be able to say one way or the other. If he did wake up and _was_ able to recall the pictures, he couldn't describe them in any manner that would make sense. None of the images were clear and already in the process of fading out. That's why when he felt something forcibly drag him back _into_ them, he became frightened. It was like an outside force taking his consciousness and shoving it back into sleep mode. This wasn't normal. No _way_ was this normal. _Did I die in my sleep? _He panicked in the darkness of his mind. He circled and circled, nursing a rising wall of hysteria threatening to engulf him whole. _Did someone sneak up on me and kill me? The hell is going on, why am I still able to think, why are my thoughts going a million miles an hour… oh crap oh shitI'm deadI'mfuckingdead…_

_:Could you kindly refrain from using such language around me:_

"Huh?" He stopped his emblematic pacing and 'looked' around. The voice was neither male nor female. Gentle and strangely rough at the same time, and _that_ description sounded _very_ wrong now that he thought about it!

Inexplicably (or perhaps explicably since he was expecting pretty much _anything_ weird to happen) an animal appeared before him. Thunderstruck, Ichigo stared at it. He recognized what it was, tried to procure the name in his head and failed, much to his frustration.

_:I'm a fox:_ it volunteered helpfully. _:That's F-O-X.:_ The cheeky creature grinned_. :You're not dead, by the way. I just put you back to sleep.:_ It dipped its head down, smugly. _:You mortals are so easy to manipulate.:_

"Wh-Who… I mean what…"

_:I'm a kitsune, and it's all you need to know. I've just invaded your dreams, human.:_

"Why?" There. Managed at least one question.

_:Because.: _The fox sat back on its haunches. _:We have common interest. My charge is in danger.:_

"Your charge." Ichigo forced himself to calm down and focus. It seized him, what it was the animal was talking about. "Katana! Is she…?"

_:Alive, yes. How long she's going to stay that way is uncertain. Until the seal I'm trapped in releases me, I'm going to need all the help I can get. Since you're the one closest to her and you've got a lot of chakra, I figured you'd be the most useful.:_

Overcoming his initial shock, Ichigo knelt down before the _kitsune_. The name 'Reynard' clicked suddenly. "You're the fox from the Uchiha estate, aren't you."

_:I am.:_

Ichigo smiled a little. He had a feeling there'd been more to the furry pain in the ass then met the eye. "All right. What do you want me to do?"

_:Go here.:_ A picture flashed into his mind. _:Here's the general route.:_ Another flash picture. _:Follow the river northeast. They are not expecting pursuit so you shouldn't have much trouble following them.:_

"I understand."

Ear twitch_. :Sugoi_. _I usually have to wheedle and bribe to get you humans to do anything.:_ The fox was astonished. _:Such greedy, selfish creatures: _It smiled then_. :But you're different. You love this girl.:_

Embarrassed, Ichigo blushed. "Is… there anything else I should know about these guys?"

:_Yes_. _They are called Chinmoku. Their leader and founder is a man named Kenryoku, a missing nin from the Hidden Village of Rain. He specializes in genjutsu and I have to warn you, he's borderline Uchiha-like with his abilities.:_ Reynard leveled Ichigo with a serious look when it was clear the youth didn't understand the gravity of that comparison. _:Do not let him capture you. He enjoys abusing his talents on anyone he thinks he can break.:_

Ichigo nodded, resolved and eager to get moving. "He won't even get the chance. I swear it."

Reynard watched him, worried. _:For your sake, I hope so. It goes against my nature to ask for help. But I have no options. My pride cannot stand in the way of Katana's survival.:_

The blonde decided he liked this fox. It was a weird kind of honor to be the only one considered by a _youkai_ to be useful. "I won't fail."

Reynard just dipped his head, looking down. :_Arigato_: he said softly.

The darkness began to dissolve. For a moment he felt like he was floating and then the next thing he knew he was staring up through the softly glowing translucent ceiling of his tent.

It was time to use the restroom.

* * *

Morning crept up around the corner, bringing it with a fog that clung to every possible orifice and skin pore on Ichigo's body. The air was thick and heavy. Sweat ran to mix with the moisture already in the creases of his palms and under his hair, dampening the roots and making his clothes stick to his skin. It was a thin promise of the midday heat that would evaporate every droplet of condensation making the surrounding rocks and leaves sparkle in the gray dawn. He fidgeted, somewhat uncomfortable and wholly irritated. Mostly he was pissed at himself. Frustrated, he flattened a palm against his forehead, eyes closing tightly. What the hell had he been thinking running off alone like this… This was insane… 

"Uzumaki!"

Ichigo blinked and his head jerked up. He spun around, hand going by reflex to his thigh holster. He squinted through the mist, waiting for the approaching footsteps.

A figure jogged out of the pea soup, panting and looking disheveled as anyone who'd dressed hastily inside the limited space of a tent. His red ponytail was slung over one shoulder and his amber eyes were wild and wide with near panic. Out of breath, he slowed to a stop before his teammate and leaned on his knees to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his face. After he caught his wind, Takashi looked up, gulping back a dry, parched throat.

Ichigo eyed him. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Back at you." Pant.

He didn't know what to make of that response. "Did Kakashi see you?" he asked instead.

Head shake. "No. I sneaked out."

The blonde frowned. "Why?"

"'Cause I think you got the right idea. Summarily speaking, this," Takashi nodded at their location, "isn't how you do it."

"Well, fuck." Ichigo was irritated. "Tell you what. Next time I run away from our sensei, I'll be sure to consult you so I do it 'properly.'" Empathetically he made 'air words' with his fingers, his tone derisive and insulting.

Takashi was unfazed. "That's not what I meant, baka."

"Whatever." Ichigo turned away from the other boy and moved away. "I'm not going back."

"Did I _say_ anything?"

"You didn't have to."

"Hn. Then you don't know a damn thing about me."

Thoroughly annoyed, Ichigo gritted his teeth together and confronted him, eyes narrow and flickering. "Why should I want to?" he hissed quickly. "You do a bang up job of showing how much being around us pisses you off. I figured since you're so 'by-the-book' you'd only be too _thrilled_ to drag me home for a wrist slap!"

Peeved Takashi's eyes shrank to two yellow slits, reminding Ichigo faintly like those of an enraged cat. The accusation stung… and it didn't help that there was a ring of truth to it. But dammit that wasn't all there was to it!

"You're a total retard," he snarled.

Ichigo turned up his nose. "Yeah well at least I don't sleep with a kunai in my hand… pussy."

In a second Takashi suddenly appeared behind Ichigo and took him in a fierce headlock, immobilizing him by shoving a knife close to the main artery in his throat. He crossed his legs over and around Ichigo's, trapping him. The blade nicked the delicate skin, causing a hair thin stream of blood to run down the boy's neck, staining the collar of his shirt.

Ichigo pretended to be unaffected. "Huh," he gibed with a huff. _Looks like I struck a nerve_.

It was a long, strained time they stayed like that. Their breaths were shuddery and quick in the thick, damp air. "I'm coming with you," Takashi began, his voice hitching somewhat, "I'm going to help you and I don't care what you make of it. Kakashi-sensei says we need to work on our teamwork." He released him, slowly, gradually. "How about we try it for a change."

Performing his sworn duty, Ichigo turned and punched Takashi in the head, causing the other boy to trip backward and land with a hard knock to his derriere. He cursed under his breath and glared up at his green-eyed rival. He absently brushed at his bruised cheekbone. The other simply glared at him back, fists at his side, silent and commanding in his stance. Then Ichigo walked by the fallen Genin.

"Funny for you to talk about teamwork, log boy," he heard the infuriating blonde grouse, "since you don't seem able to _grasp_ the concept."

Controlling an urge to aim his most powerful wind jutsu Ichigo's way, Takashi got to his feet. "_Oi_, and who's the one running off into the fog with _no plan_ and leaving his other two teammates behind?" he challenged. He was perversely gratified when the other boy stopped and stiffened. "Maybe you should think a little more carefully before you start pointing fingers, jackass."

Ichigo shot a poisonous look at him over his shoulder, hands shoved deep into his pockets. "So are you coming or not?"

"I said I would. But I need some assurance first."

"About what?"

Takashi glared at him. "That you won't leave me behind the first chance you get."

What? Ichigo had not expected such a statement to fall from the other boy's lips, much less the distraught, piercing stare he was currently on the receiving end of. After a few dumbfounded moments of blinking stupidly, he wrestled his reply. "I would never do that. Why would you even think that." His voice was even and quietly angry.

Takashi did not answer. He just stared hard at him, waiting.

Suddenly feeling contrite, Ichigo raked his fingers up the back of his scruffy hair and favored his friend with a light, teasing grin. "Ne, don't worry, okay? I was kind of hoping you'd tag along anyway." Evil eye. "I could use some live bait."

The redhead falcon trainer fought to keep a grin of his own from stretching across his face. Letting the tension drain from his body, he loosened his fists and hurried forward a few footfalls to fall in step with his friend. Ichigo noted this and it perplexed him, making him wonder. That guy got so intense about the weirdest things. Maybe one day he'd find out why. For now he was content to see that his assurance had eased whatever it was that was bothering Hayabusa.

"Think we should have waited to hear what the dog had to say?"

"No."

"No?" Takashi repeated and glanced at him, surprised.

Ichigo gazed up through the thick fog, a faraway look in his eyes. He decided Takashi didn't need to know about his… visitation. He was still having a hard enough time believing it himself! "My father taught me to trust my instincts. Mine are saying Katana isn't… she's not where the dog is looking. She's… somewhere impossible." He looked down at the ground, then at him again, sheepishly. "Argh! I'm not making any sense, I know."

"_Iie_. You're not."

"Heh. Still want to follow me?"

_He's still trying to get rid of me._ Takashi smirked. "Hn. Of course, baka. I'm not going to let a little illogic stop me. Besides you _need_ the protection."

Mildly annoyed, Ichigo pushed his teammate hard enough to unbalance him. "Phst, fuck you."

Takashi laughed.

The fog swallowed them up. It would be mid-morning before it cleared out entirely.

* * *

The first night of my captivity was an unpleasant experience. Unable to move because of both the drug and my limbs being bound together, I felt horribly exposed. Kenryoku's men enjoyed passing me around, taking turns carrying me, whispering filthy things in my ear. Since they were forbidden to touch me, they were having their fun in a different way. I wished I could have used my Sharingan to show them what a _real_ mind-fuck was like but the pill suppressed my chakra along with my movements. It was pure agony. To be this helpless, this _weak_… I wanted to cry again but my eyes were long dried from before. 

Eventually after several hours of travel, the troupe broke for camp around twilight. Before the fire was built, they stashed me securely out in the open. Tied fast to a tree trunk, arms pinned to my sides, hands and ankles bound before me, I was forced to sit up very straight. Even though I couldn't move it, my neck grew sore from the strain of forcing it to stay up. It lolled around my shoulders repeatedly. Scared to fall asleep, I kept myself awake by occasionally bumping the back of my head against the bark and pinching down hard on the soft skin of my thighs, leaving behind blue-purple half-moon shaped bruises.

I didn't notice his approach until he was kneeling down before me, watching me. When I did, I just stared blankly at him.

At length, he spoke. "I suppose you know why you've been captured."

I nodded, which was little more than a limp bob of my head. "The Atokata told me as much."

The man nodded and he watched me for a bit before he spoke again. "I have no interest in you whatsoever." His delivery was casual and lazy, like he had all the time in the world. "However you're the only person Uchiha seems to hold sacred at the moment so in that context you are of use to me." His grin was cold. "And if he does not come for you, it won't matter." Scary grin. "I have a contingency plan."

"Why?" I whispered softly.

There was no beating around the bush. "He killed my son." The Chinmoku leader let me absorb this. He sat down fully, arm casually draped over a bent knee. "I'm sure you probably don't remember it, though I would have trouble believing that." I stared at him. Thankfully he elaborated after taking in the puzzled expression on my face. "Six years ago my men helped torch a small village on the border just outside of Fire Country. Two clans were at war with one another. The clash eventually destroyed the town and left very few survivors. But that's not important." He paused to think. "My second in command at the time was my eighteen-year-old son, Tenka. Being the overconfident hot head he was he headed off at the outset of the battle alone. Since this was not an unusual occurrence, I thought nothing of it." Grim pause. "It was around three hours after the town had burned down that I searched the town's only inn, which had miraculously survived the fire. I had heard a powerful ninja was staying there and that he had not yet been spotted fleeing with the rest of the town residents. I figured I might get lucky and take him out myself."

His hand lying on the ground balled into a tight fist, shaking uncontrollably. Kenryoku's rage could be heard in the grind of his teeth. "Instead I found my son dead, lying in a pool of blood. Someone had slashed his throat and cracked his skull. The blood-covered kunai left at the scene told the entire account." He peered at me through incensed, burning eyes. "I checked the inn's guest roster. Uchiha and yourself were the only guests staying at the inn the day of the siege. I _know_ he's the one who did it." His fervor gave way to a whimsical amusement. "Heh, you'd _think_ a missing nin as wanted as _he_ would have used an alias. Baka."

I opened and closed my mouth, but no words would come forth.

He noticed my struggle. "Forget it, little girl. I do not expect you to speak for him." Kenryoku's gaze drifted over towards the campfire where his men sojourned, speaking quietly amongst themselves, occasionally looking over our way. "Until I find out the truth about that day, I cannot rest. The Uchiha will answer for the death of my son."

"_Demo_…" I began softly, hesitantly. "How will that change anything? Your son will still be dead."

"But I will have closure!" he interjected just as I'd finished. He narrowed his eyes distrustfully at me. "I can see what you're thinking. This isn't anything so trivial as _revenge_. Revenge is an emotional response. No. I simply want compensation for my loss. I want that man held accountable for what he did."

"And then what?" I knew the answer.

He laughed softly. "I'll kill you. It's only fair isn't it?"

"A loss for a loss."

"Precisely."

It was a monumental success of self-control over sheer rage that kept me from screaming. This man was arrogant and stupid… so incredibly stupid. I thought about how lucky he was I was incapacitated. So I let him have it, using the only weapon left to me: my mouth.

"How the hell is that fair?" My eyes became heated. My heart pounded and I was having a hard time catching my breath. "Who will _you_ answer to for the lives _you_ tore apart?" I laughed and it was not a happy sound. "You may think you are unique in your pain but you are not. There are hundreds of people out there who have lost so much in the blink of an eye they barely have the strength to even _stomach_ such a loss. And you… you arrogantly proclaim _you_ have the right to an answer? _Well, join the whole fucking world, asshole_!" It was soul shattering how much I desired to rip out this man's intestines. But I did. I wanted to do it more than anything _so… damn… much. _"You're disgusting!" I hissed.

When he didn't respond, I sighed, spent from the pointless shouting and just suddenly so very _tired_. What did it matter what I said, it would change nothing. I'd watched my father tear himself apart over this exact same sort of thing. On the worst days it was actually _worth_ it when I lay on the edge of death just so for that moment in his life _I_ was the only thing he thought about. When the Avenger stopped being Itachi's pawn. He became… himself. Just plain old Sasuke. That's what that horrid scar on my stomach stood for. It stood for what it was that had to be done just to get _that_ _much_ of him for my own. For _his_ own.

_And this man, _I thought contemptuously, _is…just… like…_My heart refused to allow the thought to finish and I let it die.

Kenryoku spun a kunai around his finger, the movement bringing my attention back into focus. He spun and caught it in his hand with each flick of the wrist. His gaze never left my face. Abruptly his fingers closed around the kunai decisively after a few more absent swings. He stabbed the kunai into the ground. Pulled it out again and pocketed it, getting to his feet once again. Then he just peered down at me pityingly. _"_Yes_."_

I bit my lower lip and turned my head into the surrounding wood, desperately seeking to avoid the cruel man's eyes. Eventually he would move away and rejoin the company of his men by their fire. Good. I seethed. I didn't need him _or_ his fucking pity.

I suppose I had to be fair. I did understand what he was feeling, selfish a feeling that it was. You could look at it any way you wanted to but in the end it was the same What he desired did not differ from the desires of someone I loved. And loath was I to admit it there were a few things _I_ had done that _I_ wasn't too proud of.

I bit my lips together. My throat hurt.

But I _wasn't_ being fair. That was the problem. Revenge notwithstanding, you don't turn your back on an ambition after sacrificing so much for it. After all, I was one of my father's ambitions… and even then he had not planned that one out too well. I knew for sure now -- and the conclusion I had reached filled me with a mixture of dread, relief and a strange sort of joy. My sight blurred, distorted and finally sank into darkness.

For a little while anyway. In the middle of a pleasant dream, a sharp blow to my face forced me kicking and fighting back to the world of the awake and aware.

My head went with the second blow. My hair was grabbed and yanked back, making me fear that for a moment they'd decided to kill me after all. Then I felt fingers dig into my lower and upper jaws, forcing my mouth to open. While my newly mobile arms and legs were restrained two more pills were shoved into my mouth and they held me down, nearly crushing me until I conceded and swallowed the damned things. Not once during the ordeal did I make a single noise.

Soon the too dreaded rigidity spread through my body once more. My already low chakra levels (due to insufficient food and water) were suppressed inside a physical vice, constricting the flow throughout my body. Dizziness sparkled gray across my vision. Had I anything in my stomach, I would have vomited right at that moment. I was sure the pills were doing a lot more than just making me limper than a Rag Doll. It was probably only sixty degrees out and yet sweat was pouring down my face in torrents. I felt cold and hot at the same time -- and I knew my body well enough to know it didn't have these adverse reactions on its own every day. However sweating and feeling cold were to be the least of my worries.

"Do you think we should have given her three? Two worked okay last time…" The one who'd forced the pills down my throat sounded doubtful, his voice distorted and watery in my ears. I tried to focus on him. He registered as a blur and I couldn't tell him from his companion.

The other lifted my chin, searching the dullness of my face. "He said to give her three, hell if I know why… Huh."

"What?"

"Her pupils are dilated." Pause. "Gimme your pen light."

There was a scuffling and then a painful bright sensation pierced me to the brain. Since I could not move, I only groaned and tried to shut my eyes.

"That normal?"

"Dunno. Her pupil ain't reacting… Shit, she's sweating buckets." Fingers to neck. "Pulse is real quick. I don't like this, Riku."

Riku was blunt. "Naoki. We ain't in Chinmoku because we care."

"I guess it's the old med student in me. But that's why Ken keeps me 'round." Naoki picked me up none-too-gently and slung me over his back, positioning my arms and legs around since I couldn't do it myself. "Still if he wants to keep the lil' bitch alive, he needs to understand what these damn things are doin' to her."

"Heh, Mister Academy here."

"Get off my back. I only went a year 'n' and half. The rest was freelance."

They both had odd accents. Judging from the bad grammer skills they'd never been around civilized beings long enough to make a difference. These were what I liked to call grass roots ninja: born out in the wild like the untamed beasts they acted like. Nevertheless I knew for a fact I'd met animals with more compassion than these bastards. Riku and Naoki were the only two of the six Chinmoku who hadn't whispered sweet nightmare nothings into my ear. It still didn't make them angels.

Silence reigned as the two moved along with the troupe. My eyesight was swimming so badly now I had to close my eyes. Riku's exclamation brought them open again involuntarily.

"_Oi_. _Matte_."

I felt Naoki stop. "What is it?"

"How'd she…" I felt something tug at my side and then the sound of a blade brushing lightly against leather. "The fuck is this? How'd she get this?"

"Get what? Shit. Ken took it away from her yesterday. Think he gave it back to her?"

"No way, why would he?"

"Then how'd she get it?"

"Dunno… well, I'll keep it anyways." The two members began to move once again. They were momentarily silent as Kenryoku called them round for a quick pre-travel powwow. Voices rose and fell, came and went with mind spinning irregularity, the drugs addling my brain rendering their noises meaningless. The muscles of my stomach lurched, clenched torturously, trying to bring up bile and acid. Hunger added an extra kick so there was a constant feeling of agony roiling within to accompany the numbness. My breathing slowed and picked up alternately, desperately, as I tried to keep conscious.

I cried inside my head where no one could hear me. _Papa, where are you, I'm not ready for this, I'm not like you, I don't want to live like this pleasePapaplease…I don't want to die, don't you love me…_

With the world of my brain crashing down around me, I took the first refuge that offered itself to me: oblivion.

* * *

His first feeling was that of warmth. Then he felt cool air and then more warmth. They were fleeting sensations, coming and going with his drifting in and out of consciousness. Sounds were sluggish and muffled. They mixed in with his dreams until he could not tell one from the other. In the only one he remembered, he saw himself as a child… the child he'd been at the time of the massacre. He was sitting on the ground dejectedly, tears dripping from his chin. In the next moment there appeared a girl -- it took him a moment to recognize her -- his daughter. He smiled a little and reached out a hand to her invitingly, happy to see her. But _she_ didn't look happy to see him. Katana shook her head and -- to his complete horror -- she backed up and kept backing up until she had turned and was fleeing into the nothing. He called out after her but she did not come back. What did that mean? 

He had no time to ponder it. The next thing Sasuke knew he was staring up at the flimsy ceiling of a tent. He was disoriented for a second, reconciling with reality and finding the prospect of it wasn't as scary as he'd thought it'd be. A smirk quirked across his lips before he winced immediately. His body felt like it had done twenty miles of roadwork. Biting back a groan, he turned over on his side on the -- yes, it was a sleeping bag -- and sat up, absently rubbing the back of his neck. No matter what position he slept in, it seemed he always woke up with a stiff neck. Looking down at himself, he realized his shirt had been removed and several lengths of bandages trussed the wounds on his stomach and chest. Someone had gone through the trouble of cleaning him up. There were no bloodstains anywhere except for on his pants, which had not been touched.

Almost as if on cue, a shadow fell across the tent flap. A second later a hand sneaked in and parted it to allow for the rest of its owner to pass through. She settled down on the floor after crawling in, several rolls of bandages tucked against her chest. When she looked up at him and saw that he was sitting up and staring at her, she yelped and dropped the bandages. Actually she _tossed_ them -- they went straight up in the air. A few landed in his lap and one beaned him on the nose, making it itch. The woman folded both hands over her mouth, green eyes wide with astonishment.

"Nice reflexes," he muttered, moving around automatically to gather them into one small pile between them. Sakura just stared at him. It had to be Sakura… not many women had hair that particular shade of pink or owned that hue of green for her eyes. (_Not many,_ an evil little voice interjected with a mixed flicker of anger and guilt, _but some_). Her physique had filled into those slim womanly curves she had always wished for during their youth. They filled out her Jounin uniform… rather well. But really it was her face… always her face. He decided it had not changed that much.

Her hands slowly fell from her mouth and it seemed forever that she sat there, ogling the dark haired man before her. The next he knew her arms were around him, completely wrapped around his back and she was pressing herself tightly against him. Sasuke faintly reddened and instinctively moved backward. He could feel every inch of her, enough to know she hadn't worn a bra today. He was distracted from this when he felt something wet on his bare shoulder and realized she was crying. Hesitantly he lifted an arm and slid it around her cautiously. Eventually she drew away. What she did next he was not prepared for.

She slapped him.

He went with it, eyes opening in astonishment and then by the time he finished reeling, he had resigned himself.

Silence stretched between them endlessly.

Her fingers ran over the top of the fingers on her other hand nervously. She closed her eyes. An amalgamation of emotions was twisting up her organs along with her brain - why else would her heart be in her ears? Sasuke had always had that effect on her, she admitted with a sad little smirk. Only he - he and no other - could inspire such a mess of contradictory reactions. This wasn't what she'd imagined for their reunion. Old memories were surfacing with a vengeance -- heck all it took was one look and she reliving every moment they'd had together when they were young. Even now she wasn't sure whether to hate him, forgive him or kill him.

"Sakura…"

She held up her hand, waving casually, effectively stopping his words. "Sasuke, _onegai_." She offered him a sweet smile when he frowned. Letting go, she burst out laughing. There was nothing else she wanted to do, could do. Reality would set in once more after a moment. For now she just enjoyed the simple giddy fact her Sasuke-kun was alive and she was here with him and hearing him say her name and… and… _that he was just here_.

Totally clueless yet perhaps understanding a bit better than he liked the corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched. He might have smiled…

"_Oi_ Sakura-san! Got a minute?" It was Yuki. He was standing right outside.

Sakura touched Sasuke's knee, moving to her feet reluctantly. She paused, uncertain, hovering. She wanted to stay. It was too soon to go…

The crazy thoughts ceased when Sasuke rested a hand on her arm. She turned a light red and nodded, smiling and backed out of the tent. Once she was gone, Sasuke let out his breath in a hurricane of a sigh and dropped his head for a moment to rub at his face and sinuses. He wondered why a retributory bolt of lightening had not struck him down the very moment their eyes had met. Why did she… and why had she… Kami-sama, he didn't understand that woman! Little wonder. Haruno Sakura never had been someone Sasuke had been able to wrap his brain around. He vowed he would make every effort possible to do so, even if it meant killing off most of his pride. Pride, he snorted derisively, troublesome damn thing. He could do with less of it.

Yawning Sasuke stretched his arms over his head. He reached up to rub that area on his neck. He froze. Wait… that didn't feel… Glancing around the small space quickly he hunted around the sea of female personal effects (_this must be Sakura's tent_) and found what he was looking for. A compact mirror. Nearly every woman carried one. Sakura was no different. Holding it at an angle, he confirmed for his disbelieving eyes.

The mirror fell from his open hand and clattered shut when it hit the tent floor.

His breath escaped him with some sound. He covered his face with his hands and leaned his elbows on his knees. His shoulders shook. Orochimaru was dead now. He was finally in charge of himself. _Well, _he thought of his daughter, _almost._

Thinking of her brought back the dream with an odd sort of crystal-clear clarity. He felt hurried, urgent, the need to be somewhere else tugging at him. But _where_ and, more importantly, _why_? Sasuke decided to put it aside for the present. There were other things that needed to be seen to that weren't based on uncertainties.

Moving with some effort, (the wounds smarted) he parted the tent's opening and crawled out of the small shelter. He wanted to stand in the sun.

Poking his head out first, he looked around, squinting in the bright sunlight. Tents were pitched in a loose semi-circle fashion, screened in on all sides by thick foliage and canopy. A mixture of Anzen and Konoha shinobi milled about, talking to one another, darting in and out of view and into tree tops. Others in civilian clothes sat outside of the tents, mending clothes, sharpening weapons and feeding babies. A few children were chasing each other around, wrestling and rolling on the ground. One fight between two small boys got out of hand and a woman intervened.

Crawling out further, Sasuke stood and peered around curiously, continuing to gain his bearings.

"My, aren't we looking sexy today." A young woman with brown hair and a devilish smile approached him. She gave him an obvious up and down. Appearing pleased by her observation, she gave him an even bigger more suggestive grin. Sasuke folded his arms and pointedly avoided looking at her. She laughed. "Hey, don't get all offended." Hikari tapped him on the arm to make him look at her. "Got you a shirt. And oh look! Ta-dah!" She shook it out proudly. "It's black!"

Wordlessly Sasuke snatched it from her and pulled it over his head. Not amused.

"Tch, no manners." She mock-shook a finger at him, delicate nose scrunching up her comely features. "I wonder how that poor daughter of yours turned out."

_So do I._ "What do you want, Hikari."

Tossing up her hands, Hikari exhaled, clearly exasperated with the stoic ninja. "I just wanted to see if you were okay. Now that you so obviously _are_," Sasuke smirked at her sarcastic tone, "maybe you can tell me a few things." He watched her suspiciously. "Don't worry, I'll make it _real_ easy for you. Naruto's bragging about how you guys killed Orochimaru-bastard… True or false?"

"True."

Big wide pleased grin. "Fucking A… Oh!" Spontaneously Hikari reached up (he was taller by a head and a half) slipped her finger into his shirt collar and tugged it down. Her eyes opened up wide and her mouth opened partway. "Well," she said quietly, swallowing her feelings. "There's a big load off your shoulders. Or neck, as it would be." She withdrew her hand. "I guess… that means when these Konoha guys leave, you'll be going with them."

Sasuke didn't trust his voice so he went with a nod.

"You going to forget about us then?"

"Unless Akira asks anything else of me, I'm going to have to. This isn't where I belong."

For the first time, easy-going Hikari appeared slightly crestfallen. "But you did… for a while."

"…Aa."

Hikari chewed on her lower lip and nodded, eyes going to the ground. She was oddly distant, her body language defensive. Was she going to cry?

"Hikari."

The woman flicked out a hand and waved his concern away. "I'm fine. We agreed this wasn't anything. I'm just being stupid."

"I didn't."

Hikari's head snapped up and suddenly she was even more defensive but not in the same way as before. "Didn't what?" she inquired warily.

"Agree that it wasn't anything." He knew what it was that was bothering her.

At his words her eyes became unusually shiny and then she looked away quickly, turning her body to the side, trying desperately to feign stolidity. Her arms folded and her jaw set. "It makes no difference," she murmured superciliously, purposely not looking at him. "You're still leaving, they all do."

Sasuke fought a groan. But he wanted to make it right, not make it more wrong and this definitely fell in the direction of where he needed to do the former. That's what all this was about, wasn't it? He wished he knew (he was so socially lost without Katana, how he ever managed without her in the first place beat him). He extended his hand out. Hikari blinked through the wetness, a bit taken aback and yet without hesitation settled her own in it, closing her fingers around his.

"I've got to go," she spoke softly. "I told Akira I'd only talk to you for a minute."

"Aa."

"Later?"

"Mm."

Apparently that had been the correct response. Hikari smiled brightly and released his hand, winking at him as she went. He watched her leave and as he did, he caught sight of Naruto approaching.

"Hi Naruto," Hikari greeted him absently as she passed him.

"Uh, hi Hikari-san." He kept staring at him as if he'd grown three heads. The look on his face was sheer disbelief. "Sasuke?"

"What?"

Naruto blinked and then he laughed, approaching his friend. "I guess it didn't drop off after all."

Sasuke didn't take offense. "Hn."

Naruto chuckled. "So when did _you_ discover sex?" The innocent Naruto of their childhood was long gone.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that?"

Flushing somewhat, Naruto waved his arms around in an exaggerated manner. "_Oi oi_, to each his own! Damn…" He scratched the back of his neck, peering at Sasuke semi-curiously, almost fearfully. "Uh… they were all _women_ right?"

"Aa. Well…" he tilted his head just so and examined the blonde critically, "there was one that reminded me of you."

Naruto had such a hilarious, red-faced, sickened reaction it warded off any other discussion of the matter, which was exactly as Sasuke intended. If there was one thing he was good at, it was dodging questions. He decided Naruto didn't need to know the extent of his relationship with the young woman was him giving her half his mission pay in reward for helping him to rescue his infant daughter from her own mother. She had been the prostitute's roommate. He briefly wondered what had happened to her. He never saw the prostitute again, thank goodness, but he'd had the good fortune of running into the young woman twice more over the long years.

"Sasuke? Hellooo." Naruto waved his hand in front of the other man's face.

Sasuke blinked and frowned. Why was he thinking about that now?

Confident he'd gotten the Uchiha to return to earth, he gave a jerk of his head. "Walk with me. There's people you need to meet. Well, not really, you've already met them. Heck, you went to school with most of them however since it's been a real long time… guess you're _re_-meeting them, or whatever you want to call it. But before we do that, I need to talk to you about some things. Just one, actually."

Despite years of preparation, his stomach still managed to flip. Sasuke forced his steps not to falter. Naruto led him out further and further until both of them were out of earshot of the camping grounds, down by the bottom of the knoll. The only sound was the sound of the water in a nearby stream.

Sasuke knew from the uncertain look in Naruto's eyes what the question was. "Yes."

Naruto closed his mouth, appearing confused. Slowly comprehension dawned and he just nodded. Gradually he reached up and rubbed his face vigorously. "How long?"

"Two, three months before I came to Anzen."

Naruto darkened. "And you didn't think to… do you realize what that little girl's been going through? Shit, you could have let her know _something_, Katana isn't even sure you're alive! To think you of all people… with family, I mean…"

Sasuke clenched a fist. "Naruto…"

The dobe wasn't having any of it. "Fuck no, you can make excuses with me -- I'm an idiot -- but not with your own kid! Believe me, mine's had me backed against a wall for years." He shook his head vehemently. "But it's not me who should be mad and it's not my place." He exhaled, letting the rest of his anger slide. "Okay, I went way off on that one." Naruto gradually met him again, hard, cold and blue into his friend's onyx. "Sasuke. I want to hear it."

"It's finished. You won't be hearing about it again. I'm here to stay." Pause. "Is that what you wanted me to say?"

Naruto's whole body relaxed and his shoulders slackened with relief. "Yeah… yeah," he murmured, running a hand through his unruly hair. His fist clenched it for a moment and his eyes squeezed shut. "Fuck!" he cursed, pressing his hands on both sides of his head.

Sasuke found his friend's anguish strange.

Naruto let his hands drop and suddenly he burst out laughing and was grabbing up his friend in a bear hug -- both actions so sudden and violent, Sasuke stumbled back. "_Oi_, the hell, baka! What are you doing?" Naruto let him go only after Sasuke pushed him off insistantly. "You're still weird as ever," he muttered, watching the blonde spiky haired man palm at the corner of one eye.

"Yeah. That's the great thing about me, though. I'm guaranteed!"

He watched, with some surprise, Naruto fall down into a comfortable spread eagle position on the grass, so contented you wouldn't have thought hours ago he'd had been bleeding from wounds that would have killed a normal human being. Naruto grinned at him and crossed his arms behind his head. Sasuke simply settled down normally and casually looped an arm over his upturned knees, carefully keeping his expression neutral. He decided to kill the silence before it had a chance to stretch.

"What was that jutsu you used?" he asked abruptly. "Before you cut his throat. I couldn't follow it with my Sharingan."

Naruto eyed him. "Heh, you think I'm going to tell you?"

"Yes."

Taking the answer to the dare, Naruto's face squinted up happily and he kicked up his legs to sit up some more.

* * *

Neji spotted the two of them down at the bottom of the knoll. Naruto was lying on his back, looking for the world like he didn't have a care in it. Sasuke was sitting beside him, turned toward the other. They were both talking earnestly and even though he couldn't hear them from where he was, he watched the expressions on their faces. Naruto was explaining something. He was grinning and laughing. Sasuke was listening closely, occasionally smirking, sometimes making a kind of waving gesture at the other man brushing off the insanities Naruto plied him with. Looking at them, you wouldn't think either of them had gone a day -- a year -- apart. 

The Hyuuga stuffed his hands in his pockets, unable to mask the small smile that stretched across his face. By rights he should kick Sasuke's ass to the moon and back. It was annoying to have had something pulled over him like this and him having taken nearly a week to figure it out. Here he'd thought he'd gained the greatest power of insight on his side of the Hyuuga clan. But it was nice to be wrong. For Naruto and Sakura, he was happy. They had their Sasuke back. No three Genin of their generation had meant what the three of them had been to each other and it was doubtful any of them would see the like again. The final chapter in Team 7's lives was coming to a close.

_"About time," Shikamaru had drawled last night around the fire. "These guys… I wouldn't have lasted even that long. Too troublesome."_

_"You think that about everything," Lee had politely pointed out. "You must admit, the sacrifice justified the means."_

_"Meaning what?" Kiba interjected, puzzled. He frowned when everyone (except Shino, who was silent and Hanabi, who merely smiled) chuckled. "Oi, I'm not acting dense here. I'd like to know what you mean."_

_"What's to know?" Anko's spoke up, absently picking around at the contents of her small dinner bowl. Her voice was soft and calm, unlike her usual cocky tone, causing everyone to fall silent and listen. "Friendship is its own freedom." She touched her neck where the mark had once been. "Naruto saved Sasuke long ago. Sasuke just needed to understand that."_

_"Aw," Ino cooed, able to appreciate the gooey without gagging, "that's so sweet."_

_"Isn't that kind of overly sentimentalizing it though?" Tenten replied absently, eyebrow raised. She had gotten well enough to join them in their nocturnal gathering though she had to use Shino's shoulder to sit up properly, who bore her without complaint._

_Shikamaru tossed a stick into the fire. "Can you think of another way to put it?"_

_Hanabi folded her arms over her knees. "I think we best leave it alone. Right, Neji-niisan?" She glanced at her cousin sitting at her elbow._

_Neji looked at her briefly, smiled and closed his eyes. "Yes."_

Fortune's fools all of them. Shaking his head, Neji continued on his way. That's just the way the world worked.

* * *

When Kakashi woke and found the boys gone, he simply set out after them. Pakkun returned in the midst of the pursuit and simply fell in with him, revealing what he'd discovered in his search whilst they traveled. The information was disturbing. 

"So Chinmoku has Katana now. Atokata was just the expendable hired muscle." Kakashi digested this information. "Unusual for those guys," he added meaning the Atokata. "Given they're so picky about who they work for."

"Not really." Pakkun's pug face wrinkled even more. "Remember Kenryoku was a former member and from what I've heard, he's their golden boy: proof of how strong they can get." Pause. "I also found out something else. Katana wasn't alone when she was captured. She had a companion."

This was interesting. Kakashi glanced sideways at the ninja dog. "Oh?"

"I picked up the scent of a fox demon. He accompanied her for most of the trek along the mountain range before her capture on the lakeshore." Pakkun thought a moment. "There wasn't much of a struggle there. I hazard from the dead bodies I found in the lake most of the fighting took place on the water's surface. Strange though…" he added, trailing off.

"Strange?"

"The dead bodies. It appears they were eletrocuted."

Kakashi did not speak right away. That unique jutsu of hers no doubt. "That's how she survived the pursuing Atokata." A fox demon, huh. It explained the dead Atokata and the violent nature of their deaths. Of course no unprepared mortal could deal with a supernatural creature as powerful as a _kitsune_.

"But that's not the interesting part." Pakkun whuffed. "When they were ambushed again, they _were_ prepared," he spoke almost as if he'd read Kakashi's mind. "The _kitsune_ was sealed into a tree. I suspect the demon hadn't expected for that, considering the ease of the sealing."

Kakashi considered this. "Hm. So where are they now?"

"Unknown. Katana's scent disappeared at the edge of the lake. I don't know how they managed to conceal their scents from that point on but they managed." Pakkun was disgruntled. "The chakra of the _kitsune_ is all over the area and it's _angry_. We'll need to keep our guard up after it's freed itself."

Affirmatively Kakashi suspected they wouldn't have anything to worry about where the fox was concerned. If what he was guessing was correct, the Chinmoku would have more cause to fear it then they would. "It still doesn't explain why the boys knew to go in this direction," Kakashi mused thoughtfully. "You didn't tell them anything?"

"No. I didn't see them at all today." Pakkun sniffed the air. "They are moving forward steadily," he reported in afterthought. "No hesitation."

"They know something we don't."

"Yes."

Kakashi found it odd that neither boy had felt the need to include him in their pursuit. But they were both impatient hotheads -- he understood that more than he liked to admit. None of the three Genin seemed too keen on their sensei and he found himself somewhat disappointed. Not as much as he thought he'd be though. They were still young and when these hot tempers were stoked appropriately, they led to foolhardly and often brash, impulsive actions. _Like this one_. Not one to finger point old adages like 'boys will be boys' in this case it seemed warranted, though it sounded more like an excuse than anything else.

Pakkun's announcement brought him back to the present. "We're closing in."

At least he wasn't late this time. But he knew better than to think so.

* * *

"_Matte_!" 

His friend's wheezy shout made Ichigo pause impatiently in his tracks, perched on a lower limb like a cat coiled for the pounce. Annoyed, he looked over his shoulder at his comrade. "Kami-sama, Hayabusa, when are you going to learn to catch up?"

"When are _you_ going to learn to _slow down_?" was the distant snarky reply.

Ichigo exhaled loudly. "How'd you win first place all those times in the Academy mile runs anyway?"

Dispensing with a retort, Takashi struggled to keep his need for air (and rest) quiet, throttling the hollow sound with difficulty. He was sweating profusely and there was a distant dullness in his eyes. Concerned for his comrade's health he handed him his canteen. Takashi snatched it and downed it in three gulps and all without losing a trickle of water. Ichigo admitted he was impressed.

Licking his lips, he handed the half-empty can back. He said no thanks and the son of the fox did not ask for any.

Ichigo stowed it aside. "Seriously. Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

For several minutes, Ichigo stared at him, studying him carefully. "…Your eyes are glazed and you're pale as a ghost," he observed aloud.

Furious at himself for being apparent, Takashi spoke through clenched teeth and even more hazed over yellow eyes. "_I'm fine_."

"You'll be fine when you're dead." Ichigo decided his next course of action with the following breath. "You rest for a few while I scout ahead. I'll come back for you in ten minutes. I'll have found our next route by then for sure." He made to leave.

His friend grabbed his arm, almost causing him to lurch off their tree perch. "You don't need to do that. I can keep going."

Ichigo took it back ungraciously. He wasn't buying it. "No, you can't."

"ICHIGO."

The insistent growl perturbed, pissed off and threw Ichigo for six all at the same time. He bit down, tried to push past it, couldn't, went for restraint and then just gave up. Ichigo pushed his friend hard. The boy took the tumble like a ninja and landed on the ground on his feet. He glared up at Ichigo with narrowed eyes, and if it were even possible, an even paler complexion.

Ichigo gave him back the look with compound interest and leapt to the hard dirt before him. He kept right on going.

"What is it?" he demanded, shouting. "Why can't you trust me? WHY? What do I have to do to get you to believe me about not leaving you behind? I just -argh!" He turned around, stomping one foot in his aggravation, running his fingers exasperatedly through his damp hair, squeezing the sides of his head and grinding his teeth. "I don't understand," he murmured in frustrated afterthought. Behind him, Takashi sank down and lowered his head, focusing on the ground intently. He had grown so silent Ichigo peered around at him, waiting for the return fire that never came. "Takashi?" he ventured, unsure, and took a hesitant step closer to him.

When his friend did speak, his voice was soft and toneless. "I'll tell you."

"Tell me what?" he responded in a sour grumble.

Takashi's head shot up and his eyes were full of venom. Catching himself at the last moment, he clamped down and quickly averted his gaze. "No. Forget it," he muttered sullenly.

"Try me."

It was a long time that Takashi sat there, debating his inner demons. Discarding his defenses, he made a decision. At length he stood and moved so his back was facing his teammate. "Have you ever felt like no one remembered you were alive?" he began, quietly conversational.

Rocking back once on his heels, Ichigo slipped his hands into his pants pockets and thought a spell. Eventually he kind of shrugged. "Well, yeah. I guess."

"Every day?"

"Every day? Uh, no."

Pause. "How about on your birthday? Your mom ever forget your birthday, Ichigo?"

"I, um, no… but…" This was going somewhere dangerous.

The other boy was trembling, very slightly, the clench of his fists the only outward indication of his agitation. "Were you locked for seven hours alone in your room when you were three years old because your mother was so caught up in your brother's special day, she forgot about you?" Takashi's voice rose steadily, acrimoniously, as he spoke. "Did your dad forget about your graduation day? Forget to ask about how you were doing in school? Did your father ever forget about any of that, Uzumaki?"

Ichigo had lost his tongue somewhere and he could only stare at Takashi numbly.

Taking his teammate's silence to heart, Takashi's eyes were stinging and his voice thickened but he didn't seem to notice. "Do you know what it's like, living in a home where you just watch everything happen around you? Like some kind of movie and you're the captive audience?" He stared off into the breaking mist. "Nobody thinks about the second son of the main family, you know. He's the back up plan just in case the first one kicks it. Otherwise he's just there, waiting in the wings to play a role no one trains him for. That's why he sleeps with a knife in his hand… to remind himself he's alive."

Ichigo's legs almost gave. _He's got to be exaggerating. There's no way can a family be this cruel, no way. _Sad historical fact begged to differ. His girlfriend's entire family had died by family hand and that's what kept him from disbelief altogether. Though even by virtue of that, he still wanted to deny it.

Meanwhile Takashi continued, chuckling painfully. Ichigo could hear and feel the hysteria and hatred rising in the other boy's voice. "Not that it matters, heh. If I died I bet nobody would notice." The laughter petered out into something thicker, slightly less-than-balanced, causing his breath to hitch and catch in his chest.

Able to move again, Ichigo took action. He quickly went to his friend, grabbed him, turned him around and locked his arms around the shaking boy. He didn't know what else to do. He just remembered when he would get pissed off and get violent, his father would do this -- he would grab him, hold him tightly until the shaking stopped.

"I hate them…"

"Takashi…"

"I wished they'd all…"

"No, you…"

"Yes I do. You don't know anything, you don-"

Ichigo squeezed him again with a hard shake. "Shut up." He held firm, frightened of the responsibility, aware of his limitations but ready to do what he knew he had to do if the other decided to push away. It would _not_ happen. He wouldn't let Takashi fall dammit he wouldn't break that promise he made again. He hated this guy… and he supposed he always would. _I hate you,_ he thought, _but not enough to not care, not enough to stand there and watch the dark suck you in like you didn't even matter. Because you do matter and I'm going to show you, you bastard._

"If you say it," he growled, low, deadly, "if you run, if you let it tear you to pieces, I swear on my life I'll do whatever I have to do. I'll beat the shit out of you, I'll cut you up into little pieces, dammit I'll even _kiss_ you, whatever it takes to prove it to you but _you_ _are alive!_ They're wrong not to look at you, they're wrong to forget about you. But don't let it destroy you." He pulled back and glared into Takashi's face, the calm fury in his deep jade eyes stilling the other boy's breath. He let Takashi go and stepped back. "I see you. Katana sees you. Kakashi-sensei sees you. I know you know we do and don't you fucking deny it."

Takashi would not look at him, his face shuttered and dark. "I… know."

"Then trust me. God, just trust me, because if you can't… you should just lie down and die right now. I can't help someone who won't help himself." Silence stretched between them. Eventually Ichigo hung his head, sighing heavily. _Damn. I can't believe he's been quiet about it this long. Why is it always the geniuses who have the most mental problems?_

Takashi took a long deep breath. "Sorry," he murmured red in the face.

Ichigo grinned wide and cheery. "Tell you what. If you promise not to let this shit mess you up anymore, I won't tell you how gay I think you are for being such a girl." He stuck out his fist, the devil back in his grin. "Deal?"

Coming out of it, Takashi smirked and brushed his knuckles against his. "Deal."

"_Oi_ there. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Both boys glanced up and reacted with guilty starts. Kakashi was sitting in the tree, on the very limb Ichigo had perched upon many minutes before. He held up a hand and smiled. "Awful long way to go for a leak, wouldn't you say?" Ichigo and Takashi pointed at each other, mouths opening to begin their protests. Amused, Kakashi waved his hand, brushing their accusations of one another aside. "I already know whose fault it is." He disappeared and reappeared, this time standing on the ground. "Shall we?"

Ichigo and Takashi closed their mouths and exchanged wary looks. "You're not mad?" one of them asked.

"Pissed off." He was pleased to see relief and even a hint of gratefulness in the boys' expressions. "So what about it? Will it cramp your style having a boring, older, much more experienced ninja gimp along?"

Ichigo was the first to move, followed shortly by Takashi and then Kakashi. For the rest of the journey, not another word was spoken. There was no need.


	28. Breaking Free and Joining the Chase

One morning Kenryoku sent one of the six of their band away, for what reason, I did not know. Nobody spoke of or dropped hints, at least not anywhere near where I was sitting (read: tied up).

I knew the truth behind this excessive restraint. It took some sluggish thinking to get there but I realized the reason why Kenryoku drugged me more than was needed and kept me bound despite the obvious effectiveness of said drugs. He was afraid of me. There could be no other explanation for it. Oddly the thought gave me some solace. Only some, I mean, it wasn't like I could do anything about it. Half the time my brain was in that magical land where the children never grew up and flew the endless sky whenever they wanted. I wished like hell I was there, actually.

In the interim, I was brought water and occasionally some food. It was thanks to Naoki expressing concern about my health that I didn't waste away from dehydration. The boy's presence penetrated the fog surrounding my mind (it was some kind of genjutsu that aided these pills, I could feel and sense that much), like a wandering ship to a lighthouse. He was the only clear thing where all the other shapes and colors kind of ran into one another like paint on a rainsoaked canvas.

After Naoki brought me water for the fourth time, I finally spoke up, my voice quiet and lifeless. "Why do you do this?"

Naoki had not gotten up yet. Unbothered by my query, he screwed the cap back on his canteen. "It wouldn't do to have you be dead. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of havin' you as a captive."

"…Oh."

I should have figured. What other reason would he have? I was deluded if I actually believed any of them were human beings underneath.

Though his duty completed, he remained where he was, still holding the canteen, watching me. I shifted my tired eyes to him and simply watched him back, thinking I may as well take a good look at the fellow. Naoki appeared to be the youngest of the group, eighteen at least. Ordinary enough black hair, black eyes and a familiar wild countenance of a ninja who'd been on the run for most of his life. By default I decided I hated him least of these villains… but it was still hate.

"What?" I muttered irritably, feigning annoyance to cover up the fact his gaze was unnerving me.

"Is it true Uchiha Sasuke really killed two Akatsuki?"

_The hell did that…? _"I guess." It wasn't a day I liked remembering and, for other reasons, Otosan didn't like remembering it either.

He pressed on. "And Uchiha Itachi… he his brother?"

"…Yes."

For what it was worth, Naoki looked mildly fascinated and settled down on the ground. He seemed desperately bored and I was conveniently unable to ignore him and therefore perfectly able to entertain him. _I'm always in a position of good fortune, aren't I?_ When I died, I was going to have a little word with the powers that be.

"You know, I met 'im once, that guy," Naoki mused on. "It was before I joined Chinmoku. Ran into him on the road. I asked him for directions. He stared at me for a second and then stuck his arm out of that cloak he was wearin' and pointed. I didn't know who he was until I got to where I was headin.'" Pause. "So he's your uncle, right? You ever meet the guy?"

"…Once." Only question number three and already I was sick of the conversation. Please no more.

"What was he like?"

Slow exhalation. _Face it. You're not getting out of this_. "I don't know," I murmured, "I don't care. He's an evil man. I have no use for evil men."

My words were pointedly aimed for hitting a certain mark. Naoki didn't appear affected -- not the brightest crayon in the box, this one. "Makes sense," he drawled thoughtfully. "Oh well. Nothing lost nothing gained. Bet you were relieved when he kicked."

When he… A teeny tiny spark started somewhere inside of me. My breath escaped me. "Wh-What…?"

Nonchalant, Naoki started to stand. "I ain't sure of that info, so I ain't goin' to swear by it." He continued, unaware of the renewed ferocity burning far away inside of me. "It's what's been going around out in the backwater for the past year. Probably not true, considerin' how mean a rep that Itachi had." He glanced over his shoulder when Riku called his name and heeded it, easily ignoring me, leaving me alone once again.

I hardly noticed he was gone. My mind had plunged into chaos. The fox's words came back to me. _"The duty is done."_

No. I closed my eyes. It just wasn't… it didn't… And why _didn't_ I? Of course I had to want it: Since _birth_ I wanted him out of our lives for good. To hear even a silly, unconfirmed rumor concerning his demise should fill me with _some_ measure of joy. So why the hope against it? If I believed what Naoki said, that meant after killing Itachi he had decided _not_ to come home, not to send me word that he was okay.

_No! I refuse to believe it. He wouldn't do that to me. He knows I'd be okay with him not being able to come home even if I didn't believe his reasons._ So the rumors couldn't be true. _Couldn't_.

My chest grew tight. My clammy fingers closed slowly and fisted in my lap. I froze, staring down at them like I'd never seen them before. The turmoil ceased to a granulating halt. _I could move. _The cognizance hit me with the force of Takashi's wind jutsu. _Naoki forgot to give me my next dose._ The rest of me was still numb but...

Now. NOW.

I began moving my wrists in the ropes binding my hands. When I felt they had loosened enough, I looked up to check on my captors. Providence was with me; they were still preoccupied with their meal. _Some scary missing nin organization they are. _In one motion I forced my wrists apart. _Ow ow owdammitsonfabitch._ I sucked in my breath sharply. The rough hemp chafed my wrists, leaving them red and raw. Ow indeed.

Not wasting a second, I wiggled my shoulders around until the rope binding me to the tree loosened enough for me to feel along my side. _Please, please_, _it has to have returned by now…_ YES! My heartbeat slowed when my fingers closed around the familiar hilt. I thrice blessed the client who had given us the pair of kobuns. If I ever saw him again, I would give the man a big ol' bear hug.

After checking on my captors one more time, I reached forward and awkwardly sliced the bindings around my ankles off. Two agonizing minutes later, I was able to scissor my legs free. Finally I reached up and cut through the last impedance. Lowering the kobun, an unpleasant narrow expression spread across my face as I took in the sight of the unaware men gathered around their little campfire. Squeezing what chakra I could out of my seriously depleted system, I had only seconds till they noticed what I was doing.

Go go go go go…

I shook off the ropes, stood up, scaled the tree nimbly and took off. Shouts soon followed, forcing me to hasten my speed, which sounded a lot easier in thought than in execution. My body was one giant limp noodle and it was everything it took just to keep from stumbling and plummeting to certain doom. I didn't know about the other ninja but I'd rather be a human pincushion than a red stain on the forest floor.

_Itai!_ I winced. _Splinter! In my palm!_ I took the time I didn't have to stop, pick it out with my teeth, spit it aside before continuing on briskly, ignoring the pinprick burning sensation following the hasty extraction. My equilibrium chose to betray me _right at that exact second_. A grayish sheet of sparkles filled my vision. It made my head spin something awful in a bout of vertigo that was almost enough to debranch me.

Exasperated, I bit my bottom lip hard enough to bleed. This was about getting away, not letting whatever was obviously wrong with me enfeeble me. It would - had - to wait for later. There was no time, _no time_, not anymore. Time was movement and movement was what I had on my side, had to _keep_ on my side. _Move move!_

Five hours later, the Chinmoku were still in pursuit. Their shouts shadowed my back, bellowing through the forest. The only advantage I possessed was that even though they sensed my chakra, not one of them had been able to make visual contact with me. I couldn't afford to slip. Kenryoku was a specialist in genjutsu -- that much I knew. How good, I decided I didn't want to find out for sure. So far my Sharingan was seeing through the illusions he'd thrown up in an attempt to confuse me and I planned to keep it that way. No telling what he'd start doing if he decided to try something trickier, more high level, and ultimately outside of my ability to deal with. No matter what, I refused to play along with his game of malevolence. I've had enough of people's retribution afflictions for one lifetime thank you very much!

First priority: hide. Despite the anger seething deep into my bones, I knew there was no hope for competing with the enemy at the present. What little residual energy I possessed was to be devoted to avoidance, retreat and regroupage. Otosan always told me never to make the mistake of going into a fight at only half-strength because that was the quickest way to end up dead.

Wait. I halted, almost unbalancing. Lurching forward, I swiftly grabbed another branch with one arm above to keep from falling. Sweat dripped into my eyes and ran down my neck. A cool breeze caressed my skin, making me shiver involuntarily. Hot… I felt so hot. _I'm running a fever._ My red eyes uniformly sampled the surrounding foliage. I forced my rapid breathing to slow and my body to still, suppressing my chakra using sheer force of will. Holding my knife at the ready, I was preparing myself for everything and nothing at the same time. _I will not be caught by surprise again. How many are there, c'mon, think._ _There were six all together._ _One had gone out wherever he went, so that leaves me five altogether including Kenryoku._

There was a terrible moment when I felt them move under where I was -- fast -- and then were gone again. Moving along the branch slowly before eventually delving into the shadows of the lower story, I circled closer and closer to the ground in a strategic spiral. I kept to the thickest foliage, slipping between the leaves with hardly a stir. I scanned my surroundings carefully. There! That small hollow beneath a fallen log, I could use that. Due to my functional but still mildly sore ankle, I hissed through my teeth getting down on my knees to crawl into it. I used the kobun and my hands to dig a small trench until it dipped below the entrance. I utilized the excess dirt, mixing it with leaves and sticks and partially covered the entrance, taking great pains to make it look natural. Finally I tucked my lamentably small, in this case not so lamentably, self into the small dip. I settled in after a few head bumps and shoulder squirms. It was cramped but at least it was safe to breathe now.

Calmly waiting for my labored breathing to slow down, I ran my finger down the smooth, slick steel of the kobun. It would be more than prudent to wait until the shadows lengthened before moving again; I worked a lot better in darkness. Not only because of that… My eyelids drooped and I took a long, deep breath and released it. I felt so weak and dizzy. Rest and sustenance would restore me. I knew my way around a forest enough to know finding sufficient food and water wouldn't be a problem. These side effects would eventually wear off, _had_ to wear off, soon. _Then what?_ Logically, I postulated, while my desire for reprisal was strong, it was not a task to be undertaken solo. It didn't matter how talented I was; these guys were high-level. They had a frightening willingness to implement any means to justify their bloody actions. But I could deal with that kind of lack of restraint. After all, I did used to travel with one of the ninja world's most wanted.

_Should I wait until my father gets here and let him deal with it? But why should he have to deal with it? He's protected me all this time. It's my turn to protect him._

Protect _him_? I'm the one in danger, why does _he_ need to be protected?

_Guilt._

It's _his_ guilt. His alone. I'm bait… fucking _bait!_

_What about Reynard? He's sealed now but he ought to be freed very soon. He'll be after me I just need to hang tight until he arrives. Nevertheless I cannot rely on that. I have to assume the worst. I have to act as if no help is coming. For all I know, it's true. _

Tucking tail and running, perhaps to live looking over my shoulder forever, appealed to me less than dying. I couldn't just sit around and wait for a hero.

_Morton's fork strikes again, _I thought with typical sarcasm. I'd known every day could be my last in a distant, calm sort of acceptance usually reserved for things like knowing the grass is green and that clouds were indeed made of water vapor and not cotton. It didn't occur to me at the time that I was only thirteen and shouldn't be thinking like this.

I tilted the blade until it caught a sliver of light managing to penetrate through my shelter. It glinted dully as I moved it.

_"Katana, please do this. I want you to have a life. _I want you to be happy. _I don't want you to end up like me with broken dreams and bonds and…and I want to be able to look at you again and know I got one thing right because you _are_ the only thing I got right."_

I closed my eyes to stop them from stinging. "Shit."

* * *

Solemn, fearful eyes tracked Kenryoku as the man moved back and forth. He was like a restless tiger in a cage. They dared not stir nor look away from him, for they knew what might happen to them if they did. Kenryoku was a man of few grudges -- he did not forgive incompetence from his own. Those who did wound up like this man: in a broken, bloody heap on the ground. 

Kenryoku gestured with the crimson stained kunai at the remaining members. "Would anyone else like to apologize?"

One by one the frightened men shook their heads.

"Good." Kenryoku threw the kunai down. It made a sick _thnk!_ when it hit its target, drawing barely noticeable cringes from his band. The Chinmoku chief always led by example. They knew that they were valued but also knew that any one of could be just as easily replaced. _Don't test your worth more than you need to._ That was the silent agreement between anyone serving under Kenryoku. No more was it telling than it was at this moment. He let his gaze linger around the treetops, the shapes of the crowns little more than sharp cut silhouettes against the waning sky. "I don't expect she'll be making much distance tonight," he spoke idly, almost to himself. "The side effects of those drugs are known to be long-lasting, even after mobility is restored."

Riku dared to speak. "What side effects?" he asked softly.

However their leader said nothing, he just smiled. Rather piqued by his unusual lack of response, the three men glanced furtively at one another, puzzled. Noting this, Kenryoku folded his arms and shook his head, letting out a patient huff. Only to be expected with their ilk: they weren't smart enough to connect one to two. _Well, lead by example after all_. Everything was still in their favor. There wasn't a thing to worry about.

* * *

Sasuke anticipated his reintroduction among his former peers would be nothing but a lot of tension and awkward silences. He had no apologies to offer and no regrets to express; he owed them nothing. These people didn't matter to him the way they did to his former teammates. Actually he would have walked away if Naruto hadn't asked him to talk with them. For what they'd gone through to save this valley, he decided he could put up with them for a little while. He needed no other reason. 

The conversations he had with his former classmates over the next couple of days -- some short, some long -- were more or less engaging than bothersome. Everyone was cordial, hesitant of course, but not wholly uncomfortable. They took his mask-wearing vendetta with aplomb. Since Anzen had known full and well why he'd done it and had chosen not to let their allies know about it out of respect for his intentions, it spoke yards about their trust in him. It was reasonable enough for him to assume that's why no one tried to bring it up. He didn't even bother telling them Tsunade had known, simply because the image of Naruto's reaction when she would tell him herself was too good to ruin.

Lee was polite and gave him a smile Sasuke was willing to bet he meant honestly. He shook his hand, said he was glad to see he was well. "I still would like to have that match with you. I'd always wanted to know what we would have been like against each other at full strength."

Sasuke accepted the handshake and could do nothing but nod. All Lee would have to do is designate time and place; he supposed he could give him that much.

Tenten, whom he hadn't known outside of her blushing in his general direction growing up, gave him a perfunctory friendly smile. She told him he looked good. "I met your daughter. She's a nice girl."

Sasuke said thank you. What else was he supposed to say?

Neji he found himself more able to talk more easily with. They were both from noble families and understood the mentality that went along with being in one. If nothing else, they had that to gravitate around. Wisely, Neji kept the subject neutral, interestingly enough they wound up talking about the contrasts in their Bloodline Limits. He could tell the Hyuuga very much wanted to test himself against the Uchiha and he suspected it'd always been an idle curiosity of his.

"Each of us has what we feel is our duty even though most might not understand what needs to be sacrificed for it," Neji spoke candidly, arms folded and his back against a tree trunk. He paused, letting the other man absorb his words. "If you want to join us, I won't stop you," he added, "however I will not support you upon your return to Konoha. I have no reason to."

Sasuke expected no less. They were two similar people who somehow wound up at different ends of the spectrum. They understood one another: it was all that mattered.

When he talked with Shino, whom he knew absolutely nothing about, they were strangers and that freshness gave them some place to start. What they had in common was the now so that's what they spoke of. They talked about the final Orochimaru encounter and the battles preceding it. On his Cursed Seal gone, Shino simply said, "Then you are free."

He knew what the bug master meant. He would try to believe it.

Kiba was more unorthodox. He talked about women, his dog, his nephew and some of his past missions. He was intensely curious about Sasuke's relationship with Hikari. Obviously the man's sense of smell had picked up some information not readily available to most other people. When he quietly confirmed Kiba's ribbing, the dog man grinned with fang. "I _knew_ it. I had a bet going with Naruto," he remarked. "Looks like somebody's going to be walking around with a lighter wallet!" And he laughed like it was the best joke ever.

Not really wanting to know what he was talking about, and suspecting as much, Sasuke thought nothing of it. The dog man was loud but harmless. Inuzuka obviously just wanted another drinking buddy, evident from his casual offer to join him at Konoha's watering holes should he ever want company.

All the conversation he had with Shikamaru happened over a portable game of shougi. Shikamaru beat him, though the genius found his victory narrow -- the game could have easily gone in Sasuke's favor at the last second. "You must play often," the strategist concluded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I haven't had a close game like this in a while."

Sasuke decided not to mention that it was probably because of Yuki's obsession with the game and Sasuke's fondness for the kid that had something to do with it. It was to be the only activity the two would voluntarily participate in together. He had a feeling Shikamaru didn't care about what he had done or was doing. The shougi game was his way of making his final peace with his failure going after Sasuke so long ago. Sasuke supposed it was vindication enough.

Believe it or not, Ino was a bit relaxing to talk with. She'd been annoying when he'd known her and the only person brave enough to touch him like she owned him. Grown she was still a flirt and talkative but not so much like the wet sticky wrap he used to associate her with. And smarter too.

"You'll get yours when we get back to Konoha," she said carelessly. "If you don't mind me being frank, Sasuke. I could never hate you but I can't really forgive you for hurting Sakura, even if she can." But then she looked him up and down and winked appreciatively. "Doesn't mean I still don't think you're the sexiest thing alive."

Amusedly their parley had attracted some murderous stares. His ability to captivate anything that breathed was an endless source of mirth to the kunoichi and frustration for everyone else. If they'd only knew how he'd learn to play with that power in the past… Better not to dwell on it. What Ino had said stung a little and the guilt it conjured up he wasn't ready to deal with. So he didn't.

Finally in the afternoon on the third day Sasuke sought refuge under the shade of a tree. It was some ways out from everyone but perfectly within earshot. He needed to be by himself. He was a creature of solitude; that he had borne the company of others for this long had been a departure for him. That was just how he was. _Used to be alone was something bad,_ he thought letting his mind drift. Realizing he had a choice about it now… it didn't scare him anymore.

* * *

_"Katana?"_

_The seven-year-old glanced up at him, her legs pausing as she swung them back and forth on the rock she was perched on. "Yes."_

_He tried to think of how to ask this. "Are you… does it bother you when I'm gone all day?"_

_She stuck out her lip and chewed on it. "No… well, I get scared sometimes. But that's okay." Smile._

_He was puzzled. "Okay," he echoed. He sat down beside her._

_Nod. "Yeah. I mean, you always come back and I remember what you told me to do if you don't." She frowned. "Why?"_

_"I…I just thought, you might, that it bothered you."_

_She saw that he wasn't looking at her, hearing his mumbled words. "Oh Papa, you're so dumb," she blurted, sounding put out. Now he stared at her. The girl continued. "I got the whole world around me. Be pretty silly if I couldn't find another person to be my friend."_

_"Not everyone wants to be your friend."_

_Katana nodded. "I know. But I think I know a secret," she stage-whispered. She sounded so conspiratorial; he had to fight off a smile. He played along, whispering back, "What?"_

_"You love the people who don't want to be your friends. That way they can't hate you back."_

_"That's stupid."_

_"No, it's not! Daddy, you're mean." She quit pouting. "I think it's true."_

_"Why do you think it's true?"_

_"Because you can't hate what you knows loves you." She sighed, a long-suffering sigh he didn't believe for a minute. "Da-deeee, I thought adults were supposed to be smart."_

_He shifted his gaze, his expression blank. "Hn."_

_She stuck out her tongue, instantly reeling back with a giggle when he reached out as if to snip it in half with his fingers. Half leaping up from her seat, she threw her arms about his neck. "Could you hate me, Papa?" she asked suddenly, singsong, pressing her forehead against his collar, looking up at him imploringly._

_He looked down at her. "Now who's being dumb?"_

_"You." She giggled._

_"Oh you think so?"_

_"Uh-huh." The little girl scrunched up her nose at him in a squishy lemon face. He did it back. Promptly she forgot about her question and they went back to training.

* * *

_

Sakura found Sasuke under the tree. At first she feared the worst seeing him lying on his side in the shade. A smile stretched across her face when she realized he was only asleep. She was a bit disappointed. Finally she had been able to wrest a free moment away from the demands of the mission and prying eyes. Now at the most opportune moment, he was _still_ unavailable. So she contented herself by simply settling in beside him, her arms loosely linked around her knees.

Gradually her eyes wandered and rested on his face. Her throat closed and she had to take a deep breath and close her eyes for a brief moment. _Sixteen years_, her pulse raced, _and he still does this to me_. _Naruto was right: it's like time never went on at all. _She remembered the light in Naruto's eyes after his conversation with his former rival. She hadn't realized how diluted his spirit had become until Sasuke came back into their lives… it was as if a switch had been flicked on. The anguish, the deep wounds Naruto had carried for years were gone from the lines on his face and no longer tainted the honesty of his smile. The dopiness would wear off soon and the reality of things would force him - both of them - to simmer down. For now it was enough to watch Naruto come alive again in a way he hadn't been in years.

All thoughts ceased abruptly a second later. Sasuke's eyes opened and looked up at her. She had to stop her breath from catching. She smiled at him. When he did it back, she felt a run of pleasure go up her back. Sasuke smiling at her like he did it every day… she could get used to that.

"It must be boring out there."

His dry comment jarred her back to reality. In the back of her mind, Sakura hated that her face clashed with her hair. "It's quieter here," she replied, her voice losing none of its confidence despite the transient flush. She watched him sit up, stretching, reaching for the sky.

"…Aa."

A light breeze made the leaves whisper to each other.

"We just sent a courier out a few hours ago," she began, figuring she might as well bring him up to speed. "With luck, we should be able to return to Konoha in no less than a week. The Hokage and Akira-san will decide what provisions the valley will need over the next couple of months. There's a lot of rebuilding that needs to be done." _And a lot of dead to be buried, _she added silently.

Innately relieved, Sasuke nodded. "Anzen's lack of allies was a major worry stone for them over the past several decades. Naturally they hadn't seen the reason to have a need for them until the Sound came along. Isolation worked against them this time."

"When did you fall in with them?" she asked curiously.

"About eleven years ago. They saved my life."

"An awfully long time to repay a debt," Sakura murmured absently.

"Hn."

Sakura guessed. "It's because of Katana, isn't it."

He said nothing.

She clamped on her lip and chewed it. Time to change the subject. "How'd it go?"

"They're…" he searched, "not the same."

"People change."

"Not all people."

"Yes."

"Naruto is still a moron."

Sakura exhaled a semi-sneezing sound. It wasn't like she'd been asking for a miracle. "He's really grown up a lot though," she murmured. "He achieved everything he set out to do… well, almost everything." She gazed down at the grass between her fingers, afraid to look at him. It was probably too soon to speak of it. Her heart had waited years long, much too long, and she had things she needed, wanted to tell him. _Tell him, tell him now, God knows you've kept these things to yourself long enough._

"I used to have dreams about you," she began softly. _Don't look at him_. "And when I woke up I could never remember what had happened. Stupid." She laughed half-heartedly before she sighed and closed her eyes, unaware he was watching her intently. "God, I'm so stupid," she whispered. "I'm so sick of living for something that just can't _be_."

"No."

Her eyes flew open, surprised, and she looked at him. Sasuke's dark, depthless eyes held her gaze for a moment and let it go. "You're not stupid," he continued quietly. "I…" He paused, looking down again and then at her. "It's not wrong, to feel… to want that."

Sub-consciously, Sakura felt the cold wall go up and her body stiffened. Observing her reaction, Sasuke closed his mouth, torn, lost. _Sakura is the last person who needs to be told that._ Still she remained silent. He grabbed at the grass, fisting it in his hands. His lower jaw clenched and his eyes opening were unsure of rage and sorrow.

"I'm not good at… this," he ground out. "I can't tell you the things you want to hear."

Sakura waited, her hand absently lying over her heart, her fingertips gently rubbing at her collarbone.

Dive even if you can't swim. _She deserves as much as I can give her, as much as I can give for her to take._

"I could never say anything to you. I think I knew you'd make me say things I wanted to mean but never could." He was pleading, begging her to understand, to see through him to the phony mimicry of a human being he was. "You were a weakness. What you offered then, I wasn't able to take. Even now I still couldn't have."

Sakura swore she had never seen a man so raw, vulnerable. Her initial conviction not to dissolve around him like she had done so long ago was wavering.

"Did you love me?" Somehow it slipped past her lips, tiny and barely audible. But there it was.

"No."

It shouldn't have hurt but it did.

"I didn't know how to. I… didn't even remember what it felt like."

She let it pierce through and then recede. Pain, acceptance, recognition… she had known.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." It wasn't and they both knew it. "Sometimes a person just needs to hear the words."

He nodded, unsatisfied.

Giving up, Sakura gazed at the gently waving leaves and the winking rays of sunlight. Sasuke settled into a more comfortable position, almost lazily. The mednin felt heat creep into her face. _He's staring at me._ He certainly seemed to be… in the way any man would look at a woman.

He propped his head up with an elbow, his body horizontal to the ground. "It's interesting."

"What is?"

"It took me so long just to get here. I'm not," he hesitated, reddening lightly, "so sure of my way right now."

Pause. "Naruto told me you'd decided to come home."

"Aa."

"Is that what you truly want?"

It was a long time before he spoke again. "Kids should stay with their parents."

It was beautiful to hear him be so honest. _He's trying so hard to be detached and failing so miserably. Ah, Sasuke-kun, I guess you haven't changed _that_ much._ Sakura pushed aside the various flickers of alarm mixed with joy and dread his decision to come home conjured up. It would be dealt with in the appropriate venue, at the appropriate time.

"What about us?"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow at her, feigning confusion. "What about you?"

His answer angered her. "What do you mean 'what about you'!" she hissed. "We still don't matter to you, even after all this time, even NOW! How could you… how…" She was starting to sputter, which agitated her even more! Rage welled up, brimmed to a boiling point before…

"Sakura." The expression on his face said the rest.

So she said, deflating, "I can kick your ass you know."

Perplexed by the sudden change in the conversation, her former teammate narrowed an eye at her doubtfully.

"You don't believe me."

"Hn."

Gathering a minute amount of chakra into her knuckles, she cuffed him in the shoulder. The small, well-aimed force propelled him until his back connected to the tree behind him with a light collision. Some leaves fluttered down around them from the jarring impact. The wince on his face, the disbelief and the red Sharingan eyes gratified her immensely.

She opened and closed her hand a few times; her fingers tingled a bit. "Being a mednin is more than about patching holes. Sometimes it's about breaking things down before building them back up. You of all people ought to be able to understand _that_."

Glaring at her, he rubbed at his shoulder gingerly, clearly pissed off. "Sounds contradictory, if you ask me."

"Well, then," Sakura said airily, "I'm not going to ask you." It sounded puerile to say it that way but it wasn't like she was one to talk.

"Hn." He closed his eyes and folded his arms, relaxing against the tree. Joining him, Sakura left a space between their bodies and puffed air out of her mouth.

"How is she."

Sakura ran her tongue along her bottom lip. She was pleased he asked about Katana. For some reason it wouldn't have shocked her if he hadn't. "All right. She was going on a mission with her team when I left Konoha." She couldn't let a touch of tease go from her tone with the next sentence. "She's you. Less surly, of course," she laughed, "and she's a _much_ better conversationalist."

Miffed, Sasuke opened his eyes. "You think I'm surly?" He was warming to her.

"Oh yes."

Assenting dip of the chin. "Hn. Katana _was_ always telling me I needed to lighten up."

"Maybe you should listen to her."

The scowl he shot her was priceless. Sakura couldn't help a bubble of laughter rising up in her and let go with it. She felt so light right now, as if the slightest wind touched her, she would float away. The past didn't matter and the future didn't matter. She couldn't help it when it came to Sasuke; her memories of him seemed to starkly contrast against so many of her other memories. It was selfish, she knew that, she _knew_. But she couldn't control that aspect of herself… if she could then she wouldn't have let this man hurt her as much as he had. _Then I wouldn't be where I am now would I?_

Sasuke couldn't keep frowning when she looked like that and let his features relax. Watching her laugh, he almost believed everything really could be okay, that this could all work. That… that… all that was lost so long ago could be found again. Somehow while it seemed closer to him, he still couldn't bring himself to take it, to reach for it. He was ready but he was afraid. Crushed, abused and abandoned… what right did he have to it? What if it wasn't real? What if there were other obstacles standing in the way? Time certainly was a glaring opponent here.

She seemed to see the distance in his eyes, sense his uncertainty because she touched his hand. Just laid hers on top of his lightly. He gazed it and then brought his eyes up to hers.

"It's not going to be easy," she began. "You betrayed your village, Sasuke, and even I can't argue with that in light of knowing why you did it." She patted his hand, letting her fingers linger before taking her hand away again.

"I would have left no matter what. You know that almost better than I do."

Sakura licked her lips and said nothing. She couldn't.

"I…" he faltered. "I don't know how you could forgive me."

"Sasuke," she began, a tired, tolerable smirk cutting her mouth. "Baka." She brushed her hair out of her eyes, picked up his hand again and grasped it in both of hers tightly, emphatically, begging him to just _see_ it. "_This_ is all that matters."

"Sakura…"

She thought he meant their hands and quickly started to disengage them, an apology forming on her lips. Suddenly Sasuke yanked her forward, moving instinctively to cover her while pulling them both to their feet. Sakura gasped, her body moving before the rest of her knew what was going on. Sasuke brandished the biggest knife she ever saw, holding it at the ready while his other arm held her back behind him. Pulling out a kunai, she assumed a position to defend both his back and her own. Whatever was happening, she was going to be ready for it.

"As expected," a man's voice sounded out from above.

Sakura peered over her shoulder in the direction Sasuke faced.

A shadowy figure appeared in the tree they were under leaning casually against the trunk. He was wearing red and brown and sported a jagged handmade forehead protector. _Chinmoku_. Sakura's fingers tightened around the handle of the kunai immanently.

"My master was right," stated the man, "you are good."

"It's not hard to notice something that smells so bad." Sasuke sounded hostile. "Orochimaru is dead. Whatever contract you had with him is void now."

"Who said anything about snake-face?" The Chinmoku tossed out carelessly. "I'm here for _you_ and only you."

Sasuke's lips twitched into a smirk. What a fool. "I doubt it."

"I agree. But that is not my function. I'm here to deliver a message."

Sasuke lowered the knife slightly, his expression expectant. Sakura turned around and stepped out from behind him to face the intruder fully.

The man procured a message scroll and flipped it at Sasuke who caught it with one hand. He waited while Sasuke shot him a wary look before perusing the contents. His smooth brow furrowed in confusion. "This is a map."

"You'll need it to find where you're going."

"And why would I be going there?"

The messenger grinned, plucked what looked like a photograph from his pocket and spun it toward them. It was Sakura who caught it. She gasped and handed it to Sasuke, her face going completely white.

It was a picture of Katana and Ichigo sitting back to back, Ichigo grinning and holding up a V sign and Katana just smiling with her arms loosely looped around her knees. Katana's head was circled.

Sakura prepared herself to grab onto Sasuke's arm in case he decided to lunge for the messenger. Instead he pocketed the picture, his face shuttered and unreadable. He spoke, calmly. "How much time?"

The man grinned serenely, smug with his upper hand. "Kenryoku is generously giving you a week to respond. If you don't appear by the following Sunday, he will kill the girl."

"What's your motivation?" Sakura demanded, unable to keep quiet anymore. "What do you want with him?"

"My master has his reasons."

"What are they?" If a voice could cause the temperature to lower, Sasuke's would have made the very air itself freeze. "If they're enough for him to think kidnapping my daughter is going to put him anywhere except six feet under, I'm curious as to what for."

The messenger shrugged.

Pissed off, Sakura started forward. She stopped short suddenly realizing someone at her elbow was missing. Where…

The messenger had grinned and made as if to move when he suddenly stiffened, eyes bulging. Thin trickles of blood slipped from the corners of his mouth… before the bloodied tip of a long blade emerged from his chest. It was quickly withdrawn as soon as the body went limp. A hand grabbed the dead man's hair, held it still to yank off the headband before letting the body drop into a boneless heap on the ground. It impacted the earth with a sickening thud that made Sakura wince. She looked up apprehensively.

Sasuke stood on the branch where the messenger had been, his bloody blade in one hand, the Chinmoku's forehead protector in the other. He leapt to the ground and moved past the body, ignoring it. He paused to wipe the blood off on the grass before resheathing it.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Sakura queried as he straightened up. "How do you know the information he gave us was valid?"

"It's valid."

"How do you know, you don…"

"I've been out that way a few times. I know." He glanced back at the body once. His bearing suddenly changed; the set of his shoulders a bit less than they were before. Sasuke looked toward the direction he would need to head off in and she could feel his distance.

_He's going beyond us again, _she thought with a heavy sense of inevitability. _Something else is always going to be taking him away from us. And no matter what, that something else is always going to be more important._ Finality weighing her down soundly, she closed her eyes.

_"Ikanakutewa narimasen."_

_"Hai. Sukina koto o nan demo shinasai."_

_"Iie."_

Sakura looked at him.

"Our paths are the same today. "

Before she could open her mouth, he was gone. A moment later, she was moving in the opposite direction. Minutes later, everyone watched as three figures, two men and one woman, armed with their squad leaders' blessing, departed from the makeshift campsite of refugees at a fast clip.

* * *

The nighttime forest was a cacophony of insect chirps and rattles. The humidity level shot up, drenching everything visible in a light haze. It stuck to my clothes and got into the pores of my skin. Vacillating, I began to squirm and struggle with a restless need to tear everything off my body, to stop the damp cloth from touching my skin, cold where the air had cooled it. A teeny tiny scream cultivated within, an inner tremor rising steadily in pitch, almost to the point where I knew if I let go just _this much_… 

_I can't breathe._

My hands paused over the rough bark, nails digging softly into the downy moss covering the surface. No, I could. I just had to make the effort.

_Breathe. Slow._

Leaning into the tree, my knees bumped into it, scraping until my ankles became entangled in a thick root. Then I was falling to them, forehead touching the ground. My chest tightened, like a thick vice around my ribs, squeezing my insides. Shuddering, I made a "nnn" noise, biting my bottom lip. Not a good sign, I thought wiping the sweat off my forehead, staving off a dizzy spell with some effort. Since I emerged from my shelter come nightfall, the symptoms had not abated. They seemed to have gotten worse. Turning over, my fingers fluttered, dancing, grabbing my hair and pushing it up in a pile on top of my head. I whimpered again, breathing rapidly, my eyes wide and panicked when I dropped my hands and looked at my arms.

They were covered in spiders. Thousands of tiny, hairy, black spiders and they were all. _Over_. _My_. _Arms_.

Gasping with some sound, staggering to my feet, I frantically scratched at my arms, brushing at them rapidly, smacking them hard. _Getoffgetoff…_ Suddenly I stopped. I used the Sharingan. Sigh. There were no spiders. Just the scratches caused by my nails, which bled a little. Crossing them over my chest with my hands gripping my shoulders. Calm. Calm. Breathe. Slow.

Straightening, I picked up my knife again and kept my eyes open and red, knowing it would be the only way to see chakra in the darkness surrounding me. I was dealing with an advanced genjutsu specialist, probably one of the best in existence. I couldn't trust what I saw, I _couldn't_. Kenryoku was out there, waiting. Waiting for me to slip, to be fooled by his mind-fucking mockery. He was out to get me. I would get _him_ first. I _had_ to.

Parting the leaves, I paused, stepping out into a small opening. Sitting out there was a large white wolf. It was enormous, probably about the size of an elk. It had narrow icicle eyes and wide, flaring nostrils. Its hackles were raised and its fangs were dripping with saliva. In the silvery moonlight, each individual piece of fur stood out like senbon needles. The wolf was beautiful and absolutely lethal.

Sliding into position, I held the knife up.

It leapt at me.

I watched it sail toward me and sidestepped quickly, allowing it to land where I'd been with heavy thuds from its foot pads. I neatly flipped over to the other side of the clearing, impassive, braced in a feral crouch of my own. It turned and canted one frozen water colored orb at me, bearing a positively predacious smile. Its toes twitched spastically, my only warning. Directly it pounced again. I maneuvered once more, rolling away just seconds shy from impact. One fang caught the shoulder of my dress and… _tore!_

Alarmed, I scrambled away. I was shocked. How… It wasn't _real_! I could see through it. Right? _Check again, how could I be wrong?_ … I did. Yes, I wasn't mistaken. That fuzzy outline. It must be, yes, a shadow clone in conjunction with a genjutsu. _If you can hit it, you can defeat it!_

"You're so certain aren't you." The wolf taunted in Kenryoku's voice, body low slung to the ground as it crept toward me, killing intent radiating off it like steam. "You see the world with two sets of eyes and you still can't see everything."

I _hn_ed - "Die" - and swiftly chucked the kobun with a practiced fluid movement of my wrist at the wolf. It struck the animal between the eyes, killing it instantly. It flopped on its side and vanished in a puff of smoke. The knife fell to the ground, bloodless. At length, I moved over to where it lay and picked it up. I flipped it over in my fingers a couple of times, studying my surroundings carefully. Wetted my lips.

Fighting off another wave of dizziness, I slipped back into the near ink. At the slightest sound, I froze, listening, watching, often for several minutes at time. I was waiting for anything to happen at any given moment. I felt the familiar thrum of a genjutsu lick at my skin even though my surroundings did not change at all. I knew this trick intimately. Illusion of reality over actual reality: he must be close.

Nothing else happened until I reached an open swath of woodland and that's when things really began to turn strange. Sitting there right in the middle of the clearing was a…

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," I blurted.

It was a dragon. And when I say 'dragon' I'm talking about the medieval Western type knights used to fight. This one was about the size of an average elephant. Oh this _had_ to be an oxymoron.

_It's not a Kage Bunshin._

Calmly I put the knife away and approached the sinuous, seething creature. "You've got to do better than that," I informed its mad yellow eyes. "Fooled once, shame on you, fooled twice, shame on me." I twitched my Sharingan and slapped my palms together. "_Kai_!"

The dragon dissolved like a bad dream. I felt the veil of its temporary existence fade away.

Huh. Cheap parlor tricks, that's all these were. Was this the extent of my enemy's abilities? It was insulting.

"What they say must be true…"

I turned swiftly, peered around before finally looking up. In the darkness he was just a silhouette but I knew it was Kenryoku. I also knew he was just another illusion. The music of the night ceased into silence.

"About what?" I shot back warily, my voice loud in the deafening quiet.

"The Uchiha. Masters in the art of illusion by birthright."

My hand rested around the knife's handle.

"But it seems you've been overrated," he went on. "After all look how easily I found you. I'm disappointed."

I spit a stray hair from the corner of my mouth.

"No witty retort?"

"Fuck you." I slapped my hands together and broke the illusion. Utterly pissed, I made fists and looked around, turning this way and that. "_KISAMA_!" I screamed. "Stop hiding behind your illusions and face me like a real ninja!"

"Show me one and I will," echoed his disembodied voice from what seemed like everywhere. His presence faded after that along with the destroyed illusion and the insects took over again.

_Bullshit makes the flowers grow._

I had to get moving. From the proximity of their chakra signatures, they were bearing down on me fast. I quickly grabbed a lower branch and took to the trees.

* * *

"Where the hell are we?" 

Ichigo clapped his hand over Takashi's mouth. "Shut your hole." He took it away before Takashi could tear it off. He stood straight up and looked around. Yes, he nodded to himself once. This is what the fox had showed him in his head. "It's not far now," he mumbled.

Their sensei glanced at Pakkun sniffing around the low-lying brush. He snorted and whuffed through his mouth and nose in a canine sneeze. He lifted his head, licking his chops. "Ichigo is right," he affirmed. "The base of that tree over there," he nodded at it, "is coated in her scent. The abrasions on the bark indicate she was bound here for some time."

"How many enemies?" Takashi asked.

"Their scents mix so it's hard to tell. But I'd say no more than a handful."

Ichigo smacked his fist into the center of his palm. "Good."

"Don't get cocky." Kakashi hated to kill the kid's enthusiasm but he had to for his sake. "Kenryoku wouldn't travel with so few if he didn't think he had an advantage. So far it means we're outnumbered."

Takashi whistled and checked the tree tops intently. He had sent the kestrel out a few hours before sunset and she had yet to return. Had something happened to her? His momentary worry was relieved when a small falcon burst out of the darkness and landed on his extended arm. He leaned in his head close to the animal for a few moments before letting her fly off again so she could roost for the night.

He stood up and reported when everyone looked at him expectantly. "Eithne says they're three miles ahead of us. Katana's freed herself somehow and is being pursued." He paused, appearing disturbed.

"What's the matter?" Ichigo prompted him, concerned.

"She's sick."

"Sick?"

Takashi shook his head and absently glanced in the direction his bird had disappeared in, as if he wanted to call after her. "Eithne said she was acting strangely, talking to things that weren't there."

"Probably Kenryoku's genjutsu." Kakashi studied his students critically. Their genjutsu abilities were extremely average, Genin-level. Their enemy was a genjutsu specialist and if he was fooling Katana's eyes… "I want you two to stay close to me. If you think you see anything strange or feel anything strange, don't dismiss it. Not even the smallest sensation. Understood?"

Both boys nodded, determination telling him they were ready to go.


	29. Final Battles and Reunions

When Sakura showed him the picture of Katana with her head circled, Naruto thought he was going to be sick. He wanted to scream and rip things to shreds. So much shit had happened to him and everyone he loved over the years that he had come to accept it as a part of life. However that idealistic twelve-year-old boy he still was deep inside his soul protested. It wasn't _fair_. For the first time in Naruto's life he hated something he could do nothing to, something he had always had to just fucking stand there and _watch_ as it destroyed his brother-in-arms and scattered the light that he had borne for such a short time. _It's not going to happen again, like FUCK am I going to let this happen again! _

They let Sasuke lead them, as they felt was his right. He was the only one who knew exactly where to go after all. The few times they had to stop, he managed to get a glimpse of something in Sasuke's face he likened to a glass surface with a crack in it. His eyes were dry and his mouth was a thin line. Lips pressing tightly together, an ever so slight tremble betraying itself when he thought neither of them was watching. At any time he could shatter… and this time no one would be able to put him back together again.

Naruto was sure that if he had been left alone to this, Sasuke might not have made it. He knew it for truth when he saw what happened during a brief break in their race. Sasuke was gripping onto a branch and staring off into the forest. His gaze cut straight through everything vacantly. Sanity left him exactly one second before Sakura was beside him, gently caressing his shoulder with her fingers. That's all it took for Sasuke to regain his personality. Though he did not look at her, he absently brushed at Sakura's fingers before rising to move again. Sakura glanced back at Naruto, her solemn expression full of quiet anxiety.

It collided right into Naruto's brain at that moment. If Katana could not be saved, Sasuke would not come home. He was sure of it as if the man himself had declared it aloud. The tenuous bonds they connected to him like delicate silk strings would come undone for good. Kami, he didn't think he could stand that again. Not again.

Naruto took a slow, deep breath and released it. _Don't think you are the only one with so much to lose here, Sasuke. Your little girl made me see my dream again in a way I haven't been able to see it in years. I owe her more than I can repay her but this will have to do._

It seemed he would forever have to be chasing the darkness that continued to spirit away the people he held the dearest to his heart. It was his curse.

* * *

The moment Kenryoku ordered them to go after the girl directly, Riku thought it odd. Directly ambushing anyone, even a little girl, instead of the usual stealth approach wasn't Chinmoku style -- at least it wasn't Riku's. But after witnessing Naoki's swift, merciful death for merely apologizing… he decided that questioning his master's orders probably warranted about the same punishment. So he kept his mouth shut and did what he was told along with his remaining comrades. It was better than the alternative. 

He gripped his kunai and pressed his back against the large boulder, peering around it carefully. His narrow, green eyes shifted through the layers of darkness, picking up the thinnest ray of moonlight reflecting off the nearby pond water. Riku didn't know that much about the girl's abilities but the reputation of the Uchiha and Kenryoku's caution dissuaded him from letting down his guard. _She's scary enough on her own anyway. _An involuntary prickle of cold ran down his spine. Even without the mad crimson and the spinning tomoe of those eyes, in their darkest depths, he had seen it. Granted he'd seen his fair share of hatred in an adversary however nothing equaled the deadly promise of death in hers. Over the course of the days, he'd watched her fear at their whispered threats turn to disgust, her annoyance to rage and in the end a curious blankness tempered with…with…

_My hands are shaking._ Riku cursed himself and reasserted his grip on the knife. _I'm imagining things. She's just a _girl_, what the hell am I getting the heebie jeebies for? Baka. No wonder I'm the lowest man on the totem pole._

A thin cutting of air was his only warning.

It wasn't enough, though. Riku had time only to see the shine of moonlight upon the strands of wire and feel it wind about his body and the boulder. The wire sliced his skin and clothes to ribbons. He saw stars and gray edges as the back of his head collided with the granite. Dazed and confused, he watched the darkness the wires were attached to with a dull stare.

The girl emerged from the trees, the wires bound artfully around her fingers, arms poised as if to animate a lifeless puppet. Her tattered dress was missing, leaving only the black shorts and sports bra behind. Her bare mid riff, which he tokenly observed, bore a scar from her rib cage and disappearing at the hem of her pants. Her long, unruly black hair shone blue in the moonlight and her eyes were the color of blood. Riku felt a spreading warm wetness in his trousers and realized with distant mortification that he had pissed himself. Oh how lovely.

Yanking the wire tight enough to hold him to attention, she let go of her ends, letting them drop unceremoniously. He shuddered as she stepped closer and closer until she was looking right up at him.

_"Oni!"_ he growled pathetically, straining against his bonds.

Softly she sighed, closing her eyes briefly, wallowing in a sort of evanescent melancholy. Deliberately she lifted her hand so he was staring at her palm. Suddenly she shoved both hands against his chest. There was a flash of glowing chakra around her hands. A spastic jerk and stiffening of limbs and a moment later Riku's eyes had slid shut, his head bowed over his chest, a few drops of blood appearing on the collar of his tunic. Gradually Katana took her hands away and stepped back. Looking up again, she turned her head, staring into the wood.

A hail of shuriken came out of the depths of the trees. She avoided them easily and ducked around to the other side of the boulder. It was her first mistake.

The Chinmoku had lain in wait while his partner sneaked around to ambush the girl from the front. He had her down on the ground with her hands behind her back and her feet immobilized. The other nin who had thrown the shuriken emerged from the wood. He saw Riku's dead body, still in its upright position, and frowned. He glared down at the slight of a woman-child pinned beneath the other man. He grinned a nasty grin that immediately put what it intended into the girl's face.

"No…" she whispered, her voice high and shaking, laced with horror. As the two began to move, turning her over roughly, she sensed their intent and began to struggle, kick, and bite -- anything to fight back. Terror flashed in her eyes, reaching her mouth. She began to scream, clawing at the ground. "No! No! Stop it! Don't touch me! DON'T! STOP IT!" She inhaled and belted out at the top of her lungs a hoarse scream.

* * *

When I felt them pin me down and their filthy hands grabbing, moving over my skin, I thought for sure I was going to die. I was going to be violated in the worst way a woman could be violated. The combined strength of two men had over a small girl suffering from the affects of a paralysis drug was too much. I'd been able to kill Riku because he'd been alone and unskilled and only because of that. 

Tears ran down my face as I began drawing my chakra from within. I mustered everything to center and built upon it. I did it swiftly, unchecked and unplanned, basing the idea and its execution off of something I'd seen my father do once. I _hoped_ this was the way it had been done. He had never explained to me the mechanics that went into it. But I knew enough to do this, hopefully, with the same result.

I let go completely. White lightening filled my vision, my body burned ice cold and the universe exploded.

Then the next thing I knew, I was sitting there on the ground alone and the men were gone. The tears were still dripping off my chin. I took short, quick, breaths. Unconsciously my hand came up and grasped the top edge of the short shirt, just because I needed _something_ to hold on to.

My face burned with humiliation. I couldn't believe I had fallen for his stupid mind trick. He'd taken a fear of mine and exploited it. It sickened me right down to the core of my being. I threw up until what little I'd been able to scrounge this horrid night was gone from my stomach.

Climbing shakily to my feet, knees still trembling, I stood there, hugging my arms to my body. I stopped at the edge of the treeline and quietly sighed through my nose before eventually turning round again.

There he stood, alone, his face a tapestry of conflicting emotions. _He's not an illusion this time._ I drew myself up to my full height. There was a long moment of silence.

I spoke first. "That was cruel."

"Yes."

I looked away.

"You understand, don't you."

My eyes narrowed and I glared at him. "Understand what?"

"Don't pretend you don't know… after this."

I stared blankly over his shoulder before meeting his eyes again. I let my arms fall to my sides and my posture straightened. The end of the conversation had arrived and I let my expression tell him that. He saw it and accepted how things had to stand between us. His bait was his adversary and he was going to face that reality now. Upon reaching this conclusion by lifting his hands, he started to form seals. I recognized the genjutsu and moved to counter it. Seeing me form the counter-seal, he changed tactics and started another set of hand seals entirely. I recognized them.

_Kuchiyose no Jutsu. _

He slammed his hand down onto the ground and called out a command preceding a large explosion of smoke. "Anansi."

_Anansi…_ I knew that name. I wracked my brain fast; sorting through all the sorts of literature I'd absorbed over the years. Anansi… I'd read the stories, what was he, he was… It hit me. _Anansi is a trickster spirit from West African folklore! But why would Kenryoku name…? _

The smoke cleared. Long, slender legs lifted the thing's round abdomen high above the ground. A sliver of moonlight caressed her glistening black underbelly, revealing a red hourglass shape. The name had been accurate in one sense: what Anansi was.

_Kumo… _

I sank to the ground, unable to do anything but stare up at the monster black widow spider. The thing had to be the size of a house at least. Kenryoku could not have chosen a worse creature to bring into battle with me. I moaned a little, like I was already dying. I was doing everything I could not to go out of my mind with fear. Suddenly I found myself having trouble drawing in breath.

_Don't pass out don't pass out. _

The spider rose over me tall, coming close enough for me to see her fangs. If she were anything like a normal spider, she would paralyze me before cocooning me. However I knew something about this particular species. If the bigger ones were anything like the much smaller ones…

Hand shaking, my vision graying - _don't pass out_ - I seized my knife - _don't pass out_ - and slashed my left thigh, using the hot trickle of pain to spark me out of the grip of paralyzed panic. No sooner had I risen to my feet and started to run, something sticky struck my legs and forced me to lurch forward to a stop, respraining my partially healed ankle. I looked down. The hell had… Webbing. Quickly I looked back behind me and saw the spider moving in on me rapidly. I gasped and frantically tried to free myself and succeeded only in falling forward on my ass and turning over. I lifted an arm, intending on forming a Katon, which was stopped by another spurt of webbing, pinning my left arm to the ground.

I never would have imagined my death would be in slow motion. I had time to observe the details of the spider's features. I had time to note the color of the sky. I had time to feel the cold air around me. I had time to hear the uneven sound of my breathing hollow in my ears. It made my frantic heartbeat fill them with thunderous pounds, as if it were a hammer banging against an empty steel keg.

I closed my eyes.

"KATANA!"

My eyes shot open.

Someone flew over my head and landed right between the spider and myself. Another person appeared behind me and hooked me under the arms while still another appeared at my right and started slashing at the webbing around my feet and arm. Dazed, I had only time to comprehend that it was Takashi who was holding me and Kakashi-sensei that was working to free me. Ichigo was what stood between me and the widow, glaring up at the creature with brittle green eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked me, without turning around.

"Yes." I glanced over my shoulder at Takashi. The surprise that must have been all over my face seemed to amuse him, for he actually smiled at me a little. "How did you find me?" I was free.

"Ichigo."

I looked back at him. Ichigo glanced over his shoulder at me briefly, grinning craftily.

I returned his smile weakly. I put an arm around Takashi's shoulders and let him help me to my feet.

"Kakashi-sensei, you got any bug spray on you?" Ichigo said, not taking his eyes off the spider.

Our sensei appeared beside him. "I might. But I'll need some help. Takashi?"

Takashi let me go. "I'm on it."

Both of them ran around the perimeter of the spider, distracting her into turning this way and that, trying to shoot webbing and missing. Ichigo sensed the unspoken command and turned to me, taking note of my bloodied leg. "Can you move?" I shook my head ruefully, cursing the hysteria that had caused me to injure myself. Before I could have but now it was too stiff with blood to move. He offered his back and I hopped up and hugged him from behind.

"Gack!"

"Sorry." I eased my grip.

He started to run.

Several minutes passed by and neither of us spoke another word. The silence was filled with the sound of Ichigo's footsteps and the swishing sounds of leaves and branches in our wake. Finally he stopped in an open thicket. He let me slide down and leaned on his knees to catch his breath. I limped around to stand before him and watched him recover, cradling my arm self-consciously. He straightened and didn't waste another second. "Sit." I did. Kneeling beside me, he held his hand over the wound. It didn't heal but he was able to stop the bleeding. From his leg pack he pilfered a length of bandage and proceeded to wrap the cut. Neither of us spoke while he worked. Spying the shuriken scar on my stomach, he brushed his fingers against it lightly.

I seized his wrist. His eyes rose to mine. He moved, reached for me and pulled me to him. I embraced him back, pressing my face into his neck. He gently pulled the both of us to our feet. His lips captured mine for a moment before he drew away, grabbing my hand.

"They need us."

I nodded and hand in hand we took off. Plunging back onto the battlefield, we were greeted by the sight of Kakashi and Kenryoku going at it while Takashi dodged Anansi's high-speed web launches. The only way he kept from getting trapped by it was to continually run between her legs. While she turned her mass around to track him, he would unbalance her with a concentrated wind jutsu, causing her to spin out of balance and trip over her legs.

I made a hand signal to Ichigo and he nodded. Splitting up, we ran around and flanked each side of the monster spider. Takashi had somehow managed to position himself exactly beneath the spider, moving with her, making it impossible for her to either sight him or attack him.

"'Bout time you idiots came back!" Takashi shouted to Ichigo acidly, trying to keep up with the arachnid's movements. "Were you making out in the woods or something?"

Ichigo flipped out of the way of a very well aimed clump of webbing. "Yeah, baka, that's what we were doing, making out in the woods!" he snapped back sarcastically. "You're an asshole."

"Tree boy, now is not the time!" I called across to him, waving my arm to catch Anansi's attention. "_Oi_, spider-bitch! Here!"

Takashi blinked and mouthed 'spider-bitch?' to himself even as he had to rapidly back away from the spider's fangs. He ducked when they almost touched his head. Fear leapt into his eyes and he did the worst possible thing: he _froze_.

"Takashi, move!" I tried to draw him out of it. The spider could see him now and was moving in. "BAKA!"

Ichigo saw what was about to happen and risked racing under the heathen. He dive-tackled Takashi and held onto him until they had rolled clear of the spider's legs. Deciding to do my part, I rushed in toward them, halting again when Anansi, distracted by my movement, turned in my direction. I stopped right away. The nervous sweat slipped down the back of my neck and that damn trembling started again. Dammit, would I never get over this fear of spiders? Of course this wasn't just any old spider you swept out with the cobwebs: this thing had fangs as big as I was tall! How did you defeat something that big?

I took a deep breath and looked it right in the eyes. With the Sharingan, I transmitted every image I thought would frighten a spider into whatever Anansi had that passed for a brain. Being squished was the only thing I could think of. What worse fate would something like _her_ fear? However I did it, the image did cause the creature to back unsteadily away from me several more feet.

Takashi and Ichigo were quick enough to recognize opportunity when thusly revealed. Ichigo took what I came to call the 'stupid leap of illogic' and managed to secure a perch upon the spider's abdomen. Takashi called a few roots up from the ground with an earth jutsu, twining around one of the black widow's back legs, immobilizing her.

An idea struck. Spiders lived in the same chemical world of touch and smell insects did.

What if I could do something to interfere with that? I reached into the back of my shirt and ran - okay half-limped - right up to the trapped spider. If this was good enough to blind the eyes of an enemy nin… Oh hell.

_I need to get closer than this._

Straight away the cries of the boys telling me to get away from there rose up. Naturally I ignored them.

"_Oi!_ _Kumo!_ _Koko ni kinasai!_" She regarded me out of her eight little eyes, close enough so I could see eight little reflections of me staring back. I took another deep, not so steady, breath and licked my lips. Closer, closer those fangs lurked. The blood from my bandages started to drip down my leg. I sensed Takashi coming toward me from my left peripheral and gave him an eyelid threat. _Stay there._ His face twisted in anguish but he stayed.

Closer.

"Katana…" he murmured, in paroxysm. _"Nigenasai!" _

Closer. _Don't piss yourself, the number one rookie is watching._

Closer, closer… NOW.

I whipped out the little spray bottle and unloaded its contents right into the arachnid's eyes and mouth. Swiftly retreating backward, I landed in a crouch and watched.

Anansi made this weird sound I didn't even think spiders were capable of making. She bowed low to the ground, stumbling drunkenly, twisting around on her trapped leg. Ichigo was dislodged from his spot and he began slipping down. In a frantic effort to resecure himself he pulled out two kunai and plunged them into the softer exoskeleton into the bottom part of Anansi's lower abdomen. The spider bucked and shrieked, unable to abide two sources of excruciating pain at the same time. One last bucking motion caused Ichigo to let go. He reacted instinctively and was able to make a solid, sound landing on both feet. He was out of breath by the time he rejoined Takashi and I several feet away. I noticed he had some trouble walking.

"That was brilliant," he panted, settling into his - what I called - Rasengan crouch. "What the hell was that stuff?"

I kept my gaze on the spider. "Capsaicin."

"Cap-what?" Ichigo repeated.

Understanding, Takashi nodded but then he said, "Wait, but spiders don't have tear ducts."

"Well, this isn't a normal spider," I countered. "I mean, if snakes used for summoning can hear…"

"Spiders can cry." Takashi closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Ever since I got put on this team, the whole world just keeps getting weirder and weirder."

Pausing, Ichigo exhaled in exasperation. "Can we save your existential crisis for later? I'm trying to concentrate!"

Coming out of it, Takashi shook his head and placed himself beside Ichigo. "I have an idea." His tone made Ichigo and me look at him. "Kind of. Ichigo keep doing what you're doing. Katana, how much chakra do you have left?"

"Enough. What do you have in mind?"

Takashi tilted his head a bit to the side, watching the creature crash into trees as she desperately sought to rid herself of the irritant. He began making a series of hand seals. More roots wormed their way out of the ground, clumps of earth flying. They began surrounding the spider. "It's been real quiet since Kakashi and the Chinmoku leader took off," he explained ominously. "I've no doubt our sensei can take this bastard. It's his back I'm worried about."

_His back…_ I started to move off, glancing quickly at Ichigo, who despite sweating in his grand effort to make the chakra in his hand spin, managed to wink at me and grin tightly. I started and stopped, unable and unwilling to leave them. I couldn't just… with this monster…

Takashi didn't move his hands from the earth seal. "Go. We'll be fine," he ordered. He didn't look fine; he looked tired and scared. Cuts and bruises covered every exposed portion of his body. When I still didn't move, he shot an indescribable look my way. "_Katana_."

I swallowed and looked at Ichigo one last time. He had succeeded in getting the rotation to start. He was no better condition than his friend was; a trickle of blood ran down his face from the edge of his hairline. In the light from the Rasengan, I could see the dark circles under his eyes. Forcing my feet to move, I raced off in the direction I'd last seen our sensei fighting Kenryoku. I'm glad I didn't let myself steal one last look over my shoulder. The expression on Takashi's face as he watched me go wouldn't have made me leave for the world.

* * *

Ichigo watched his girlfriend race off into the darkening woods. Seeing her disappearing once again made his stomach roil with dread and uncertainty. He glanced at Takashi. The boy briefly lost himself in staring after Katana before blinking himself out of it. Ichigo was shocked to see what it was he saw in those amber eyes. Takashi was… _No. Deal with it later. If there is a later_. But he knew what he was he had seen and he supposed it was enough for now. 

"Man, you better hope whatever you're planning works," he began rigidly. "I'm not sure how effective this is going to be against Spiderzilla."

Takashi's nose twitched at the remark. "Huh. Well, I hope your improvisational skills are good."

"Well, I did win first place in the Academy's drama contest."

Takashi coaxed another root from the ground and directed it around the arachnid's left front leg. This jutsu was hard as hell to control; he never realized how difficult it was making the roots listen to his commands. "_You_ were in a play?" he spoke between his teeth.

Ichigo moved his trembling legs into a shaky stance, preparing to launch himself. "You don't remember? I was Puck."

"Puck."

"Yep."

"_Puck_."

"Uh-huh."

"…Okay." He had no response for that. Another root sprouted and seized the other front leg. "That won't hold for more than a minute. Move."

Ichigo set off, his completed Rasengan - his first - glowing like a tiny beacon in the night. It suddenly reminded Takashi of the stories his eldest cousin, Arisa, used to tell him about stars. There was that one story about a star, Aldebaran she had said its name was, his mother's ancestors used to guide themselves home at night.

He drew in his breath deep and long, drawing on his chakra slowly to sustain the jutsu holding the widow immobile. _Just a little more please. Just a little more until he's clear._

Ichigo was aiming for the lower abdomen. His brief bronco ride on top of the creature hadn't been for kicks and giggles. He wanted to see where the cracks in the spider's armor were and unfortunately the only real spots of vulnerability were the joints and underbelly. There was no hope of this first shot being the death blow, no way could he expect that much from this strike. If he could get the beast on her back, somehow knock her over so she was…

_Hurry, hurry, they're letting go. Movemovemove…_

He would use the failing grip of the roots to his advantage. _Here goes._

Ichigo slipped underneath the spider. He saw the fangs dip and ducked under them, the tips narrowly grazing the top of his hair. Using some of that skidding he'd learned playing baseball six years ago, he moved at such an angle he was able to push the Rasengan into the spider's abdomen even as he was winding up on his back.

The roots broke and retracted. Bits and pieces of soil and root flew in the air. Ichigo clenched his teeth together and put everything he had into the push. His pupils and the white around them completely flooded with orange chakra. Briefly he was able to see the veins in his arm, a kind of translucent glowing through his skin. This was his first time seeing the strange phenomenon about himself yet he didn't allow it to distract him.

The widow, as hoped, clumsily teetered back and started to fall over on her side. He half-crouched on the ground, watching the creature struggling to right herself. In the process she haphazardly shot some webbing from her spinnerets, catching Ichigo by the foot. When kicking and yanking didn't free him from the goo, he tried to hack at it with a kunai. Despairingly he realized it was a slower job than he had time for. Unless… Glancing over his shoulder, he yelled at Takashi. "TAKASHI!"

But Takashi had had it. Maintaining that jutsu for so long had taken the last of his stamina. It had been beyond his current level to perform - that he had been able to do it at all was astounding enough. So while the spider had been breaking free, he had felt something inside himself snap. Now he was on his knees, clutching his chest, desperately fighting against oblivion. Ichigo's shout was like a splash of cold water to his consciousness. He opened his eyes wide and looked up, wavering on the thin line dividing sleep from awake.

Ichigo needed him to trap her again so he could get clear. But he had nothing left… His arm came out to keep him from collapsing. He used it to push his body up and to his feet. Painfully he formed a seal, drawing on the last of his strength. _Just for one more root, one more dammit…_

"Takashi!"

_DAMMIT!_

The spider slowly turned over, almost completely returning to her equilibrium. Ichigo panicked and screamed. "TAKASHI! GET OUT OF HERE!"

What? Takashi was sweating buckets and barely coherent but he was certain he'd heard Ichigo say something completely insane.

"GO HELP KATANA!" Ichigo yanked on his leg and tried fruitlessly to saw through the stuff trapping him. "I'm finished!" His eyes were extant with fear and he was crying and what was so horrible was that he didn't even seem to realize he was. The spider moved over her prey. Ichigo stared up at her, frozen now. The only things moving on his face were his tears.

Takashi wondered why he _couldn't_ move… he wondered why he _wasn't_ moving.

The spider pushed him down with one leg and pinned him to the ground. Takashi heard Ichigo cry out.

Takashi stumbled forward, vision graying and body screaming. He was running on pure adrenaline now. He reached them just as the spider began to lean down. He grabbed Ichigo, practically falling on him and attempted to roll them both out of the way.

But his friend saw something over Takashi's shoulder. "NO!" Ichigo threw both arms and his free leg around Takashi and rolled over to cover him. His chin was next to Takashi's ear so he heard him make a strange "guuhuk" kind of noise, like he was choking and hiccuping at the same time. His body immediately stiffened and went limp. Takashi opened his eyes and watched with horror as two sleek fangs extracted themselves from Ichigo's back, blood dripping off of them. The spider moved away.

Takashi scrambled out from under Ichigo's body and turned him over. He searched for a pulse. It was thready and weak. Every breath he took, he had to struggle for it. Takashi knew the blonde idiot wasn't playing around this time.

"Ichigo? Can you hear me?"

Ichigo nodded, opening his mouth, gasping. His eyes opened wide and he shook spastically.

Carefully and slowly he stood. He closed his eyes. Takashi looked at the murderous hated thing sitting where she had retreated, waiting patiently for him. He drew in his breath very slowly.

In one swift movement he had Ichigo on his back and was racing through the forest, faster than he had ever moved in his life.

* * *

Sasuke heard the sounds of trees breaking and snapping and knew right away there was a battle going on. Naruto caught on a bit slower. "The hell is going on?" he muttered before the realization dawned on him. 

Sakura pointed. They followed her finger and saw what looked like something out of a horror film: a giant spider. She visibly shuddered at the sight. "Ugh."

Needing no second prompting, Sasuke launched off toward it. Behind him he heard Naruto shout, "Sasuke!" but he ignored him. Something was telling him he needed to get there as fast as possible.

Plunging out into the open battlefield, it was madness. The ground was torn up, trees were damaged and sticky white webbing was everywhere. Right in the middle was the enormous spider, more monstrous and menacing up close, if that were even possible. It made his skin crawl to look at it. Before it stood its pitiful adversary, a boy who looked barely on the cusp of thirteen. He had long red disheveled hair, injuries all over his body and absolute murder in his amber colored eyes. He was wearing a Konoha forehead protector. Beyond him lay what appeared to be his comrade although given his distance from them Sasuke couldn't discern anymore than that. He opened his mouth to call out to the kid but he had already picked up his companion's limp body and made off into the forest. But he couldn't go after them because Naruto and Sakura raced by Sasuke toward the spider and fell into attack positions around her. The spider seemed to sense she was in very real danger now and began to retreat.

Forgetting about the kids, he moved to join Naruto and Sakura's offensive circle. First priority was to dispose of this giant spider… though he had a feeling none of them knew the foggiest notion of _how_.

* * *

Takashi ran until he was out of breath. He stopped to rest in a hidden thicket and let Ichigo gently slide off his back. Ichigo looked absolutely terrible: he was white as a sheet, sweating and bleeding from enough places that a small pool had formed under his body within seconds of his resting on the ground. He was gasping, struggling for each breath he took. Not knowing what else to do, desperate to help and not knowing _how_, Takashi propped him up on his arm. It was the least he could do. 

"I'm done," the idiot managed, his green eyes dull and glazed -- and flicking orange intermittently. He started coughing hard. Blood came up and dripped from the corner of his mouth. The fangs had slightly punctured the back of his lungs, not deeply, but enough: Ichigo was literally drowning in his own blood… and venom.

"No, you're not." Takashi busied himself with pulling out a length of cloth out of his remaining weapons pouch. He'd had two; must have lost the other during the battle. "Shut up, don't say stupid shit like that."

Touched by the unsubtle concern from his normally aggravating teammate, Ichigo attempted a smile. It hurt his face to do it but he did it. "Stupid… shit… die… with you," he teased.

Ached by Ichigo's heedless sarcasm even in the face of his own death, Takashi concentrated on stopping the blood coming from a cut above Ichigo's right eyebrow. It didn't need attention; he just _needed_ something to steady his nerves and wiping the blood running down Ichigo's face seemed the right way to go. "No argument there."

"But still… better… too…"

Pausing in his ministrations, Takashi was silent.

"Don't… want… her… t'see me…'m a mess, hehe, ACK!" he continued even as he choked on his words. His vision focused and unfocused. He lost all sensation in his limbs.

"Ichigo."

Fading. "I'm sorry."

Panicking, Takashi shook his friend. "ICHIGO!"

But Ichigo was smiling again, his expression almost gentle. It was the most frightening thing Takashi had ever seen. "When… back in school… you beat me up… was it true?" Coughing fit. Silence. "Taka…shi…"

Takashi stared at him for a long time. He looked away for a second, his lips pressed together tightly. When he looked at him again, Ichigo was _grinning_.

"What the hell you smiling for?"

Head shake. "Heh… knew… you wouldn't tell me. Had to ask." His lips were turning an alarming shade of blue. Bit by bit consciousness was fading from his eyes even as they filled with fear and an odd flicker of orange light. He began speaking rapidly; the worst scared Takashi would ever see Ichigo in his entire life. "I'm cold… that's not good Kami no... I'm not dying now, no way, don't let me die, TakashipleaseIdon't not now…Taka…"

Cut off mid-sentence, his eyes rolled back in his head and closed. Without thinking, Takashi automatically moved to the next step. Laying Ichigo out on the ground, he pried his friend's mouth open and began forcing air into his lungs. He didn't know what else to do.

* * *

Sakura aptly dodged to avoid another shot of webbing and did a neat flip along the ground that ended in a graceful crouch. For the umpteenth time she thanked her former sensei for her strict and vigorous defense training. She was better at avoiding the arachnid's attacks than her boys, she noticed with an uncontrollable smirk. How many times had Naruto and Sasuke had to keep freeing themselves and each other now? She'd lost count, frankly. But she'd gloat later. 

_Possibly the most disgusting thing since those little frogs of Naruto's… Little nasty… WAIT!_

"Naruto!" she shouted, looking around the widow's legs, trying to catch his eye.

"Yeah?" he called back, distractedly.

"How's Gamabunta on giant spiders?"

He didn't reply right away. It took some fancy footwork and dodging until Naruto appeared on the same side as his female teammate. He shook his head apologetically. "No offense to the giant Frog Prince, but he can't swallow anything the same size as his head and then he'd probably just choke on it." Pause. "What about you?"

Stare. "Naruto, I use slugs."

"Ohh-kay…" The Kyuubi container scratched the back of his neck thoughtfully. His eyes darted around until he caught sight of what he was looking for. "_Oi_ bastard!"

Sasuke kept his eyes on his enemy, side-stepping the agitated eight-legged beast's constant lunges. "Fighting, dobe," he reminded him simply. He was amazingly calm despite the fact he could barely time his defensive counters enough to avoid the narrow surges.

"Ne, yeah yeah, I know, you're trying not to get killed." He went on. "You can charm snakes, right? Do whatever thing you did back there again. Maybe that'll work."

"What thing?" Sasuke barely got away that time. He glared at Naruto, asking him to participate. Naruto rolled his eyes and pitched a shuriken at the heathen. "_Oi_, Charlotte, your pig is over here!" He caught a thin sliver of a chuckle and bristled. "Hey, you bastard, I can hear you laughing!"

"That wasn't me."

"Yes it was! Sakura-chan's sittin' right next t'me and she's quiet so I'm blaming you!"

"It still wasn't me."

"Liar!"

Sakura felt the corners of her mouth tug up. If there was anything time hadn't done a thing to was their ridiculous penchant for arguing regardless of the situation.

The spider turned on Naruto briefly before going back to Sasuke. Odd, Sakura thought. Once it seemed to figure out the differences in the three of them, the creature seemed more interested in attacking Sasuke. _We can use this._

Her plan clear, Sakura started toward the spider, all while tugging out a glove from a pocket and pulling it on. She heard Naruto mutter, "Aw shit!" before shouting, "Sasuke! Get out of there!"

Sasuke appeared wary but after a second of hesitating, he did move clear of her path. Gathering enough momentum and chakra into her attack, Sakura's fist connected with the ground.

The entire battleground broke apart and quickly collapsed on itself. Its rapid disintegration was mostly due to the earth having already been torn up and scarred by Takashi's root manipulation jutsu. The impact only hastened it. Sakura managed to avoid falling right into the hollow by skillfully riding it out on a few falling rocks and leaping to the lip of the crater. Sasuke was there to give her a hand up and helped her stand. Together they gazed down into the collapsed earth, watching and waiting. Naruto appeared beside them, touching Sakura's arm and giving her a friendly, amused look. She wrinkled her nose and waved at him.

For a long minute no one could see anything through the incredible amount of dust in the air. Naruto, characteristically impatient, used a simple but carefully controlled wind jutsu and forced the grimy air to clear. It revealed to them right away what had become of their arachnid adversary.

The giant black widow had fallen into the crater, crushed to death by the rocks forced skyward returning the beck and call of gravity. Her legs were broken and askew, two completely severed from the body. Foul yellowish-green fluid coated the rocks and ran into small pools and rivers. Other than that, the spider was almost completely buried by dirt and large rocks.

Sakura thought: _And I thought the ER was bad._

"It's dead," Sasuke spoke the obvious to all, though it hadn't needed to be said. He just wanted to solidify reality by confirming it aloud. Plus it just felt good to say it.

"I almost can't believe I did that," Sakura added, shaking her head. "I mean, that was total impulse."

"Well, it worked," Sasuke muttered.

In a cheeky move, Naruto grabbed Sakura's arm and held it up as if they were in a pro-wrestling match. "Sakura-chan's super-strength saves the day once again!"

She pulled her arm away. "I told you to stop calling it that."

Whilst his friends joked around, Sasuke scanned what was left of the battlefield. A spider of that size and capability didn't just crawl out of the dark corners every day. Someone had to have summoned it, and he had a niggling suspicion as to _whom_ had summoned it. He felt hurried and urgent. Those kids he'd seen… they'd had something to do with what was going on. Even if they didn't know much, it would be enough. So he obeyed his instincts, motioned to Naruto and Sakura and took off in the direction he'd seen the kids flee in.

"Where are we going?" Sakura asked him.

"There were two boys in the field prior to your arrival," he answered. "They ran off in this direction. If we find them, we may find out what we need to know."

"I hope so," Naruto remarked. "I mean, what's next, a giant cockroach?"

"Wouldn't want to meet one of those if I were you," he heard Sakura tease. "With as many as you've killed…"

"_Oi_, home defense, Sakura-chan. And don't give me that, you haul out the flea bombs every time Kiba brings his damn dog over."

Sakura made a "Humph!" noise but didn't refute his accusation.

Making pause, Sasuke made sure he got a good look at what it was. It was the two boys and one of them was…

"Sakura!" he said without thinking before approaching the kids.

She looked where he was looking. "Takashi? What's he…" and seeing the blonde kid he was administering artificial respiration to, she did something completely unexpected.

She screamed.

* * *

Sakura faltered several times getting there but somehow she managed to fall to her knees by the body of her son. His exhausted teammate was pried off of him by Sasuke, who was so wrought he started sobbing like a little kid, though he barely had the breath left in him to do it. She was only dimly aware of Naruto appearing on the kid's other side and Sasuke standing behind her. She called his name a few times, firmly rooting herself into her mednin duties of checking his vital signs. All the while the kid's face was serene and peaceful, as if he were only asleep. But the sight did nothing to comfort her it only served to convince her that something wasn't right. She fell to coaxing him tearfully, begging him even as she began emergency healing. She felt the intense amount of poison in his body, sensed his punctured lungs and determinedly sought to heal him. 

Deaf to everything, Naruto sat there, staring at the scene, his son's face and Sakura's tears. He was just _numb_. He obeyed when Sakura fiercely demanded he lend her his help, numbly extending his hands out over the boy. Gradually he lifted his head and looked up at Sasuke. As usual there was nothing to be read on his face, just the same blankness they had always expected from him. When he did move, it was just his hand. He gently touched the side of Sakura's head and gave the place beside her ear a parting caress, a gesture she didn't seem to notice in her fixation, before moving away.

Sakura began to babble hysterically. The mednin part of her had done what it could do and Sakura couldn't hold back anymore. "It's all gone now. His lungs are fine now and the poison's gone. He has a pulse, he _has_ one, I _feel_ it. I did it right, I _know_ I did it right." She clung to her son desperately, her eyes glazing over with restrained grief. "Ichigo, open your eyes." Her voice was plaintive, high-pitched. "I need you to open your eyes. I need to show me you're okay. I love you… I love you so much, please, Ichigo…"

It hurt both men having to listen to Sakura cry like someone was ripping her soul out of her body. She cradled her son, touched his face, ran her fingers through his hair, spoke with her lips against his forehead, as if he were a little baby again. Her tears ran over his face.

Naruto picked up his son's limp hand and held it. He shut his own eyes and bit his lower lip so hard it bled. He was trying to keep it together for Sakura's sake although she was already falling apart right in front of him. He looked over at Sasuke. The poor Uchiha was making a manful attempt at consoling Takashi, which mostly consisted of letting the kid cling to him. Kind of funny in a weird way: they were two complete strangers yet Naruto knew at heart neither of them was. Sasuke's face told him everything he needed to know.

He felt a slight pressure in his hand. Naruto's eyes snapped open.

Sakura felt it too. She drew back a little and looked down at Ichigo's face. First his eyelids twitched. Then he did something wonderful.

He coughed. Sakura wasted no time on celebration: she helped him sit up and tapped him a few times on the back to help him clear his lungs. Takashi was right there with them, though he kept his distance respectively.

Ichigo finally sat up on his own and opened his eyes. He looked confused at first and just stared straight ahead, as if comprehending the reality of his survival. Gradually he started looking around. Since Takashi was sitting at his feet, he was the first person he saw. He grinned at him. "Oi baka."

Takashi gave him a weird lopsided kind of smirk that really wanted to be a smile. "Oi tree boy."

When he saw the person who held him, his face softened with a familiar joy. "Hi Mom," he murmured. Embracing him, Sakura kissed him on the forehead, consequently causing him to redden. Takashi just shook his head. Mothers.

Naruto decided to save his son some face since his mother obviously wasn't interested in that. "Let the kid breathe, Sakura-chan," he admonished, nudging her, "you don't want him to die again do you?"

Ichigo whipped around and stared at him, completely astounded. "_Dad_?" Then he sucked in his breath. "Oh God," he paled, looking frightened. "Did I die?"

Naruto cuffed the boy in the head. "No way, kid." And grinned. "I can tell you a few stories about coming back from the dead." He _umphed!_ when Ichigo leapt on him in a huge bear hug. Takashi just smirked. Sakura sat back and was content to let them reunite. She looked around for Sasuke. He was gone. Her head snapped back to the men. "Naruto…"

He nodded. "Think you can move?" he asked his son. Ichigo shook his head. Naruto hefted him up easily on his back. "I know you're too old for these, boy, but…"

"It's fine, Dad." He looked over at Takashi. "Coming?"

"No. I'll just sit around here and twiddle my thumbs." Ichigo looked astonished. Takashi rolled his eyes. "Oh for fuck's sake… OW!"

Sakura grinned at him sincerely yet very fiercely, giving his sore cheek a gentle parting pat. "That was a love tap. Now move."

Behind them all, Takashi scowled at her but followed suite. Secretly he didn't care about the mild humiliation to his person. Ichigo was alive. That was all that mattered.

"By the way," Sakura told him as they were travelling side by side. "That was excellent thinking."

Feeling his face heat up, Takashi was confused and pleased at the same time. "_Naze?_ What did I do?"

Sakura smiled at him. That good-hearted kid she'd known was hidden inside the usually sour child was finally freed. Something about his manner echoed familiarity to her, which she knew would make it so easy for someone to love what should have been difficult to love. She spoke. "While it was fortuitous we showed up when we did, I wouldn't have been able to save Ichigo if you hadn't started CPR. The brain dies without oxygen after one minute."

But Takashi was not comforted by this revelation. "He would have died even if you hadn't shown up," he muttered bitterly.

She seemed intrigued by a sudden thought. "Not necessarily."

He gave her an odd look.

She winked at him. "I'll explain later."

* * *

_Thnk, thnk, thnk!_

I pressed against the bark, feeling every _thnk!_ as the shuriken embedded themselves into the tree behind me. _These morons are getting on my nerves. _I reached into my pouch and withdrew two kunai. I'd stolen the pouch from Takashi while he'd been helping me up (he always carried two anyway). It was too bad their illusionary selves had been the only ones to die with the genjutsu. I wanted that to have been the last I'd have to deal with these guys.

"Little girl," came the expected call, "this isn't hide-and-seek. You can't _hide_ from us!"

"Oh?" retorted my Kage Bunshin clone from several feet behind him. "Seems it's been all I've been doing so far. I daresay I've become rather good at it. Sucks to you, baka." Sometimes I could swear my clones were mouthier than my real self.

He spun in the direction the clone had spoken from. "Shut up!"

I smiled, passing one of the kunai to my hand. I launched it swiftly at his unguarded back. His partner appeared literally out of nowhere and deflected it. Realizing my grave error, I ducked back around the tree and proceeded to ascend to the top. My intention was to reach the smaller branches. Hopefully it would slow them down; they had a couple of hundred pounds over me and the treetops would not support them.

It was only partly successful. They did indeed hang back but they stayed where they were, watching me as I negotiated the weaker branches.

"No where to go but down, sweetheart," said the second one treacly-like. "Awww, lookie bro, it's a pretty kitty."

It started a round of catcalls of the most insulting kind. I won't even repeat some of the things those brutes called me. They made my ears burn and my heart pound furiously. My fury gradually ebbed. Hmm, they thought they were frightening me? I activated the Sharingan and looked right down at them, flicking my gaze to each of theirs.

Their jests turned to screams of horror, causing them to retreat instinctively. I wasn't base enough to believe they could be driven off permanently by a few scary suggestions but it was all I needed. I descended down a story and caught the next tree. I didn't have time to play around with these mistakes in the human gene pool. Kakashi-sensei could be dying for all I knew. Yes, he was an excellent genjutsu user - his special form of the Sharingan left nothing to the imagination. I was willing to bet he was giving Kenryoku a run for his money. But he didn't have a Uchiha body and he tended to tire a lot faster so the eye wasn't the kind of gift that could be used indefinitely. He needed another pair of eyes. Takashi had known this, I believed that's why he'd sent me after him.

_I hope those two are okay._ I cursed myself for leaving them. I'd had full confidence in their skills. Still… it felt so very wrong to leave them like that, like I was betraying them in some way.

I felt the familiar thrum against my skin. _Genjutsu_. I stopped at once and scanned my surroundings with my Sharingan. Spotting two figures at the edge of another opening, I proceeded forward cautiously. The closer I came, the more I was able to make out what was going on. Slipping down silently to the ground, I drew as close as I dared without giving my presence away.

I was able to recognize Kakashi-sensei and Kenryoku right away, disheveled and bloodied as the two older men were. They were talking.

"… nothing to do with you. You're throwing your life away!" Kenryoku sounded pissed off. "I do not intend to draw your damned village into this and I well mean for it to remain that way. Take your brats and leave for the last time."

Kakashi exhaled and let his head hang a bit. Apparently from his reaction, Kenryoku had been babbling this since the conflict began. "From the moment you sanctioned Uchiha Katana for ransom, you drew our village into the situation. You can't deny this."

"Uchiha is not a part of Konoha!" Kenryoku hissed angrily, making me bristle. "What is it going to take to get you to understand that? He left his allegiances in pieces, as do all _nukenin_. This matter is between _Uchiha and myself_."

Sighing audibly, Kakashi looked bored, like he was wondering why he was even talking to the other guy instead of chopping him up into fishfood. It was what I was wondering anyway. I wanted to jump out there _so_ badly. However I didn't… Always wait for the opportune moment before going in for the kill. This wasn't much different than knocking an arrow and aiming at a deer from the shadows. I wished like hell I had my bow, actually.

"I've heard that one before."

"Then get out of my way. You've overused that eye of yours and I've still got a lot of stamina left in me." Kenryoku seemed coolly amused. "Besides… I'd hate to have to be the one that kills the Great Copy Ninja Kakashi, what with it being anti-climatic and all." Unbalanced chuckle. "Seems to be quite a year of reckoning for the Sharingan, eh?"

_Yeah, well, it's going to go down kicking and screaming!_ I thought, blinking to crimson and focusing everything at Kenryoku. After examining Kakashi a little more, I concurred with Kenryoku. Whatever he'd done with his version of the Sharingan had exhausted him. That he would even been driven to this point where he'd only managed to tire Kenryoku out and nothing more… Maybe it was Kakashi's age, maybe Kenryoku really was that damn strong; I had no way of knowing. Either way I could not allow him to kill our sensei.

_Here's a little favor I've been meaning to return._

My plan succeeded only partially. Kenryoku reacted predictably to the phantom spiders crawling on his body however he recognized and broke the unexpected genjutsu quickly. He whipped his neck in my direction. Oops.

I had just enough cognition to feel his movement behind me, barely propelling myself out into a neat forward flip that wound up with me landing where Kenryoku had been and Kenryoku right where I'd originally been hiding. He emerged from the brush immediately, looking annoyed yet full of a strange assurance I did not like one bit. My sensei and I exchanged brief glances.

"Takashi told me to follow you," I answered his unasked question. Nod at Kenryoku. "What's his damage?"

"Powerful as rumored and then some. I haven't encountered this level of skill since I fought Uchiha Itachi."

I was unable to prevent myself from exhaling. Why my uncle remained the pinnacle basis for comparison when it came down to the shinobi arts will always puzzle me. Remembering what Naoki had told me, I let the irony creep into my voice. "Then I doubt we'll have much more reason to worry since ITACHI IS DEAD." I spoke the last three words very loudly and looking right into Kenryoku's anger hazed eyes. I covered over a wave of dizziness. The symptoms had lessened but they still appeared once in a while. "Kakashi-sensei, can you move?"

"No. My leg is broken and my ribs are cracked." His breathing seemed more pained and drawn shiftily than before. He regarded me with serious concern, sensing my discomfort. "Katana, do not go up against him."

I shook my head urgently, denying his anxiety. Making the appropriate hand seals, I began the preparation for _Rai Toku_ no jutsu. Kakashi-sensei recognized the seals and seized my wrist quickly.

As gently and firmly as I could, I removed my arm from his grasp and moved away from him. He reached for me, his eyes showing me the past, of another student he had not been able to stop no matter what he had said.

I pulled out my _kobun_ and pointed it at the man. "_Morituri te salutant_."

Kenryoku reached for his katana and unsheathed it. Good. It seemed he was finally giving into the fact nothing he did would deter me from squaring off against him. He lifted the weapon and started for me.

"Kakashi-sensei," I began without turning around, "I'm sorry." Then I was off to meet my enemy.

Steel kissed steel. Every swing of the sword met my knife. Unlike the ex-Sand nin I had killed back in Konoha, Kenryoku was a master swordsman. He knew every maneuver and knew just how to angle his strikes. There was more than one time I was doing more defending than offending. There was also another problem.

Kenryoku wielded his sword with both hands. Separately.

_Oh wonderful,_ I thought sardonically. _He's ambidextrous._ Traditional maneuvers weren't going to work against this guy. Knocked down once again, I rolled to my feet and made the hand seals. Next I pressed the bottoms of my palms against the small of his back. He shrieked and knocked me aside before the current was complete. Bluish white electricity arched through the air with a loud snap. It unbalanced him enough so he stumbled around, blinking at me in shock. I caught his eye long enough. That was where I made my mistake.

His genjutsu took my mind, forced it into a cold dark place and then he just _squeezed_. I grasped my head and screamed. But it didn't stop me from staggering forward and seizing his blade. It cut my hand.

The steel shook, steamed and vibrated. Crying out from the pain, Kenryoku had the good sense to release the weapon but he did the smart thing and tossed it far enough away where neither one of us could hope to retrieve it again.

Nearby Kakashi sat, injured, unable to do anything but watch us fight. I knew I could have been imagining it however I was sure when I caught a glimpse of his face. It was as if another light had gone out in his soul. Just one more light to mourn. One more.

* * *

When the Uzumaki boy regained consciousness, he knew right from the first hacking cough that everything was going to be all right. Feeling time breathing heatedly down his neck, Sasuke did what came natural to him. 

He took off.

Funny, how out of all the things he had learned in his twenty-eight years alive, the only direction he sought fit to keep moving in was forward. At least that's what he kept telling himself - he who for so many years had remained internally stuck the age his brother had left him at after the massacre. It was only when he was sitting on the bank of a river and holding a tiny, wet baby girl had the reality of the essence of what real maturity was hit him. In the shadows of the night, when the darkness of things left him staring sleeplessly at the ceiling or the sky, did he realize the enormity of the role he played. And like the one before her, he intended to embody this role with his entire body and mind.

Then a sword was thrown skyward and struck blade first into the dirt directly before him.

Sasuke's lips twitched into a grim half-smirk. At least he knew now where the battle was. Grabbing the sword and pulling it from the soil, he started through the trees.

* * *

"How long are you going to keep at this?" 

Kenryoku had me backed up against a tree, finally succeeded in cornering me. He took advantage of my delayed reactions. With a decisive grin, he plunged a kunai right through my shoulder, pinning and trapping me against the tree. I shrieked. It burned like fire and the blood flowed freely as my lungs gulped for air. My knees pressed against one another in their struggle to keep me aloft.

He procured another kunai and idly handled it, trying to decide whether or not to continue to crucify me or just end it all right there. "Your power is barely comparable to mine," he said instead. "You should have been a good little Genin and listened to your sensei."

I grunted.

"Nothing would have happened to you, you know. Oh I _said_ I would kill you, true, but I'm not _that_ cruel. You're really nothing in this but bait. Troublesome, annoying bait -- but bait nonetheless. You're only in this position because you put yourself in it."

My legs gave and I sagged down. The kunai held me up painfully for a second before jerking free. Sliding down to the ground, I lay there motionless at Kenryoku's boots. A kunai was buried in my shoulder, I was bleeding, and I didn't care. Fools like me deserved what they got. So when he delivered a swift kick to my midsection, I just went with it.

The only reason why I didn't slip into the blissful dark of unconsciousness was because thousands of birds began chirping at the same time. There was fast movement, Kenryoku moved away from me quickly as something else moved in beside me. Barely able to lift my head, I saw the boots of another ninja.

"So you _did_ get my message after all," jeered Kenryoku from the other side of the field, several feet away from me toward the right. "I had wondered why Satoshi didn't return with you on time."

"I didn't need him. Any man serving under you is expendable in my eyes."

That voice… I felt dizzy and faint from the blood loss. Trying to see him through the darkness that had settled upon us (I hadn't even realized a whole day had passed), my heart knew whom it was. But I had to make sure. I had suffered through too many illusions to believe anything I saw, or felt, anymore.

"Papa?"

He didn't speak to me but the red of his eyes in the dark told me enough. He touched my face before leaving me again, the lost sword in his hand, concentrating on his enemy. My eyes filled with tears and I had to clamp on my bottom lip. I struggled to sit part way up, leaning my weight on the elbow of my good shoulder. I reached up and grasped the kunai, afraid to pull it out, knowing it would only bleed more if I did. Resigned to my helplessness, I watched my father approach the other man.

"You must not be as skilled as you claim to be," he said, his voice giving no clue to his feelings. "To beat a young girl like this. Hardly becoming of a real shinobi."

"Well, you ought to know. You've spend most of your life letting your brother treat you the same way."

Sometimes I wondered why complete strangers knew anything about our family tragedy. You'd think my father's family life was posted regularly in some kind of missing nin tabloid.

A long silence passed before my father spoke again. "What do you want from me? The battle in Anzen is over with."

"This has nothing to do with that accursed valley. I don't even care about that loss; it means nothing to me. I simply want you to answer for what you took from me."

I could picture the puzzlement on my father's face even though his back was turned to me.

"Several years ago there was a battle between clans that wound up burning a small village to the ground in one night. Do you remember that?"

"It was spoken of in every country."

"You were there."

"Aa." Pause. "What does that have to do with your kidnapping Katana?"

"Because I was there too, Uchiha. You stayed in a hotel in that town. Your name was on the roster."

Pause. "I'm going to have to ask you to explain faster because I'm fast starting to care less about your reasons, not that I did anyway."

"Then why are you listening?"

"Because my mother taught me good manners. You've got three seconds."

Kenryoku continued. "You killed someone in that hotel, did you not?"

Long silence. "Yes. I did kill a young man." Pause. "What was he to you?" he added warily, sensing what Kenryoku was circling around.

"He was my son." Kenryoku's voice betrayed the barest tremble. "I know he hadn't attacked you: his weapons were not found anywhere in the hotel. He was a poor ninjutsu user so I know anything he would have tried against you would have done nothing. I've had a lot of time to think about it, Uchiha, and I'm done being in the dark."

I waited for my father's answer. However he didn't speak. What was wrong?

"You kidnapped my daughter," he began finally, slowly, "to ask me that?"

"It was necessary. I needed you to feel that not knowing why it happened. That feeling of knowing what it was you could have done differently."

A thin chuckle came from my father's throat.

"What's so funny?" Kenryoku demanded angrily. "Stop laughing! Don't you understand the situation?"

The laughter stopped. "I spent years asking myself why my brother did what he did, why I wasn't strong enough to stop him." My father sounded angry. "I fucked up my entire life because I couldn't stop asking why."

"I don't care about your problems, Uchiha," Kenryoku said quietly. "You'll get no pity from me, not that you were asking for any. Now… if you don't mind."

"Your son was a ninja, Kenryoku." Otosan replied at length, in a vague sort of way. "Accept that he was stupid and paid the price for it."

Huh. I frowned. Otosan was hiding something, very purposefully not saying what he should be saying. I didn't understand what it was he was trying to hide so badly. _Okay, so if he kills the guy and freely admits it, why won't he say why he did it?_

Kenryoku sensed it too and he looked angry enough to explode from the insanity of it all.

Otosan was silent. He glanced at me once, a strange kind of pain in his eyes that he was quick to hide again by closing them, looking away from me, his head lowering. His reply was a long time in coming and it was blunt. "All right." Pause. "The reason why your son is dead was because I caught him trying to rape a nine year old girl."

It took a second for the implication to sink in… and it left me sick with a sense of violation. I fell onto my back, staring straight up at the sky. So that was why I didn't remember most of that day -- Otosan had made certain of that. Before I'd always written it off as having slept through it. _This was why my father never answered most of my questions about what happened there, why he seemed to draw away from me whenever it was brought up. This was the reason that genjutsu had picked out that fear from my brain and used it to shatter my confidence._ Suddenly I felt numb. I embraced that insensate feeling, allowing it to encompass me. It was that shred of sanity that kept me from passing out.

It was somewhere in this I felt Sakura appear at my side, though honestly it was a shock to see her there so suddenly. However I was barely aware of her presence, riveted by the two men on the battlefield. I _did_ feel it when she grasped the kunai and drew it out slowly, healing the wound as she did. I had to grit my teeth and turn my head into her other arm that supported me. Her assurances were quick and meaningless to my ears.

Kenryoku was silent for a long time, absorbing this. He appeared almost as numb as I felt, kind of staring at the space over my father's left shoulder. Closed his eyes. Opened them. His face darkened and he lowered his head. "Yes," he said softly after a moment, his face clenching in pain. It seemed as if a hundred memories were coming all back to him at once. He palmed his face and shook his head slowly. Kenryoku's lower jaw tensed and the hate rose in him once again. "I don't care. The fact stands is…"

My father interrupted coldly, his voice like a viper poised to strike. "You want to kill me. It doesn't matter to you the reason, does it?"

Glare. "No." His tone clearly meant otherwise, though.

Reading into this, Otosan weighed the sword in his hand before making a 'hn' noise under his breath. Swiftly he flicked his arm out, throwing the sword across the clearing, over Kakashi's head before plunging deep into the bark of a tree.

Sakura spied Kakashi across the way and quickly moved to his side, snatching careful glances at my father and Kenryoku at the same time.

"What happened to the spider?" he asked her.

"It's dead."

"Kenryoku's men?"

"Naruto finished them off en route here," she replied, running her hands over his damaged ribs. "Please hold still, sensei."

Abruptly I felt someone else's knees hit the dirt beside me. Takashi. Able to move without pain now, I was flooded with relief to see him. He looked worse for wear but he was _alive_. I sat up and put my arm across his shoulders in a brief hug.

"Katana!"

I turned my head and a natural grin tugged at my mouth. Naruto was on the scene carrying Ichigo on his back. Ichigo slid down and closed the rest of the distance between us. He wasn't moving very easily, I could see the shakiness in his entire body and he was breathing harder than normal, which worried me. When he finally reached us, he fell to my other side and squeezed my arm. I did it back. I allowed both boys to help me to my feet.

Anxiously I looked across the field and caught Kenryoku's eye. It looked for a moment he seemed apologetic before it was gone forever. Then he was back focusing on my father who was being joined by Naruto. I was shocked to see him as well. Where the hell was everyone coming from? This was crazy.

Now that he was being confronted with _two_ adversaries, Kenryoku appeared very uneasy. His eyes went from one challenger to the other. One step back he took, then another. He peered at Naruto a bit more carefully.

"I've seen you before," he stated. "You're the Kyuubi no Youko's container."

"Glad we never got acquainted then," Naruto muttered, "cause I would've finished you off a while ago." To my father, "Who is this person?"

Otosan didn't glance at him. "Nobody." To Kenryoku he put: "When I came here, I intended to kill you. However I've changed my mind."

Everyone stared at my father as if he'd grown a second head.

"You're outnumbered and outclassed." What he said next made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. _"You're not even worth killing."_

Kenryoku grinned nastily, with victory, before he turned tail and fled into the darkness.

"Sasuke!" Naruto protested, shocked, outraged. "You can't-! I mean, this guy _kidnapped_ your _daughter_!"

"I know." A cruel smirk crawled across his face and he glanced at Naruto meaningfully. "Don't you?"

"Neh?" Naruto was confused. He realized my father was watching the running missing nin intently and hoping to understand what his friend was talking about, he did the same. None of us had to wait long for the answer.

Suddenly I knew as well. I knew because I felt _him_ long before everyone else did. I leaned heavily against Ichigo and smiled. "You little bastard," I murmured affectionately, shaking my head.

Kenryoku hadn't run more than several meters before something small and reddish-brown darted out of the bushes bordering the field. It cut first behind the man before slinking around him swiftly, intercepting and sitting directly in front of him, forcing the man to stop. Kenryoku stared down at the small animal, disgruntled. "_Kitsune_?" he grumbled.

The fox grinned evilly. Suddenly he became a woman, an older version of the woman I had seen, a hundred times more beautiful than any living woman had a right to look -- and she was frightening.

"You may not be worth killing as far as he is concerned," she said huskily, her tail weaving back and forth. "But you, sir, fucked with the wrong fox."

Then she plunged her hand right into his chest. Kenryoku screamed once before his entire body burst into a column of flame that shot clear straight past the treetops. It burned hot and it burned fast. A second later it died out as suddenly as it had appeared. Sakana spit on the spot Kenryoku once stood before brushing off her hands dramatically and regarded us who were watching, shocked and dumbfounded. She beamed and waved coyly. "Hey there! Katana, sweetie, you take my advice on the whole relaxing thing yet?"

"Go to hell, Reynard!" I called back, grinning widely. I couldn't bother to get angry. I was glad as hell to see her… him… whatever.

She squinted her face up, as if she had tasted something bad. A wink later, she was standing in the small space between Otosan and Naruto. Naruto was so startled by her appearance, he leapt back with a "whoa!" My father just narrowed his eyes, Sharingan ablaze as he silently evaluated her.

Sakana gave Naruto the once-over and her eyes became hungry. "You are positively yum. I'd love to take you home with me."

Naruto blushed so red I'd thought he would burst into flames too. "Um…hehe. Th-Thank you."

Sakana wrinkled her nose at him in a way that translated as 'oh you're so cute' before turning to my father. "Uchiha Sasuke. A man so elusive not even the foxes can find him." Critical once-over. "I don't think I'll have much success here. Hm… a shame, I was really looking forward to that one. Oh well. I'll try another time."

If Sakana kept on hitting on my father for one more minute I was going to kill her (or die laughing, it was difficult to decide which). Not if Sakura did it first though, she'd been seething with barely contained rage since the _kitsune_ had appeared. I didn't think she understood the highly sexual nature of fox spirits. This was Sakana's (highly inappropriate) way of introducing herself.

I left my teammates and approached them. Naruto opened his mouth to speak but closed it when I appeared. He retreated and scooted over to Kakashi and Sakura instead.

Sakana left to meet me. "Hey there, kit. I'm sorry I couldn't make it sooner."

I shrugged. "I'll live with it. What took you so long?"

"Oh you know," she replied far too casually. "I had to fend off the advances of unscrupulous characters… and kill a few of them. Plus kill the humans who sealed me, which was messy but necessary." She touched my cheek affectionately with an index finger. "I like you. You're fun to protect. _Sayonara_!" Finally with a dazzling smile and a flirty flip of her hair, Sakana turned back into the fox and slinked back into the undergrowth, departing the same way he'd arrived.

I watched after him. "Thank you," I murmured. _For once I'm glad the strange things always do pick me to happen to._ And having arrived at that happy medium, I continued on toward my father.

* * *

"Papa." 

It was a long time before Sasuke could bear to look at her after she and the fox demon parted ways. He braced for what he knew was coming. Instead she came in close, slid her arms around him and just kind of rested against him with a sigh. When he felt her breathing starting to hitch, he settled to her height and pulled her into his embrace. He was relieved when Katana wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. For a long while they stayed that way, finding everything they had lost in the year since their parting. He would never leave this child again not unless death itself took him from her. Even then, he had a hard time believing it could.

Gradually they drew apart. Spying a lock of her hair turned over on the wrong side he absently brushed it back over to the right side. Katana smiled when he did that. Sasuke supposed every father probably thought his daughter was the most beautiful of all. It didn't make him think it any less true. In fact, while he was thinking about it, she was probably the most beautiful girl in the world period.

She was the first to speak. "I'm really mad at you."

"Aa."

"There's… some stuff I'm going to have to forgive you for," she went on softly. "I know now enough of hate to know what it feels like to be betrayed." Sasuke nodded, unable to meet her eyes. "But we can get through this." He looked up and when he did, she was smiling again, imploring hopefully with her eyes. "Right?"

Sasuke reached out and touched her face, tracing his finger in a familiar pattern down from the middle of her forehead, over the bridge of her nose to her chin. Like she always used to do to him when she was little, he felt a pang of nostalgia. He hadn't realized he'd missed it. There were so many things he was missing he hadn't known he missed. Then again, that was something that was happening to him a lot lately.

"Yes, aka-chan," he replied quietly. "We will."


	30. Where We Began and Where We Ended

_"Two roads diverged in a wood_  
_and I – I took the one less traveled by  
__And that has made all the difference."  
–"The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost_

_One Week Later  
__Anzen no Chi Mori Encampment_

Ichigo woke to something pushing him in the side. Grunting, he shifted his weight on the bedroll and reached out sleepily to touch whatever it was. He cracked open one eye.

Sometime during the night Takashi had rolled over in his sleep and currently his foot was settled gently against his teammate's ribs. Ichigo winced - it still hurt to draw breath - and moved over some more. He wound up rolling over and pressing against the flimsy wall of the tent. The tents here at Anzen no Chi Mori were huge, big enough for three people. There was _plenty_ of room to stretch out.

Unfortunately the laws of physics and personal space didn't apply to _this_ team, Ichigo snorted irritably. All that room and the retard insisted on crowding him against a wall! _Even sleeping he's an asshole, _he thought despicably, struggling to sit up and making it. He scratched the roots of his hair, following this action with a yawn and a relaxed stretch. Notwithstanding the fact he ached all over terribly from the past week's adventure he was feeling good. Through the translucent tent, he could feel the warm rays of the sun chasing away the coolness of the previous night.

Done stretching (God it felt _so_ good), he simply sat there, looking at his sleeping teammates. Despite the protested impropriety of it, Katana had joined the two boys in their tent. During the night she had kicked the covers off, stretched out on her stomach and let her limbs lie where they wanted. Ichigo let his gaze linger over her profile, taking in everything without shame and enjoying the sight immensely. No matter how messy and tangled that wild mane of hers got, it still looked beautiful. A few yellow-tinted bruises and light red scratches marred her delicate features. The cotton nightie she sported looked absolutely ridiculous on her (even her father had said so) but he decided it was okay because she was kinda girly even if she did act like a boy sometimes.

Letting his gaze drift over to the less relaxed form of Takashi he grinned evilly and reached for his backpack. Withdrawing a marker he stealthily crawled over the short space separating them and uncapped the utensil. He debated. Finally he lifted the marker and poised it for action. The tip of the marker brushed against Takashi's skin.

A hand swiftly grabbed Ichigo's wrist in a tight, fierce grip.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The blonde boy twisted around in a feeble attempt to free himself. "Hey, I was just kidding!"

Takashi gave him a level look. "You were going to draw on my face."

"Uh, no, whatever gave you that idea?" He gave his friend a cheeky grin.

Eye roll. "I have an older brother, Ichigo." As if that explained everything - which it kind of did. "I know about ninety humiliating ways to get back at you."

"Like what? Flushing the toilet while I'm in the shower?" sneered Ichigo cuttingly. "I ain't scared of you, punkass!"

Takashi gave him a calm smile. "I can tie you down and have my little sister fix you up real nice. She may be only seven but she's good with lip liner and mascara."

Ichigo looked horrified. "You wouldn't…"

"I would." And from the stoic expression, he meant it.

Gradually Takashi let go of his wrist and Ichigo made a big show of reclaiming it, accompanying it with a slip of the tongue. Takashi merely sat back and unzipped his sleeping bag so he could roll it up. Taking his cue from his friend, Ichigo did the same.

For a long time neither boy spoke. It was awkward to keep pretending things were normal after what had happened. They'd learned things about one another neither was prepared to deal with. Ichigo knew he owed Takashi big time and he just couldn't muster up the courage to say two little words. Almost dying like that had scared the shit out of him. The coldness, being drawn deeper and deeper into darkness and not being able to breathe or feel… He couldn't deal with it - or at least he didn't know _how_ to deal with it. So for the first few days on the way to the valley, he had crawled into his father's tent in the middle of the night. The first night he did it, his father had woken up. ("What is it?" "Nothing… um… I… Can I sleep here with you?" "Sure. Just don't kick me, okay?" "…Okay.") The next two nights following and he appeared in the tent again, his father didn't even turn over. Neither spoke of it. That was the great thing about Dad: he never chided him for his insecurities. It mitigated the burn to his ego somewhat.

Regardless of what had occurred Takashi didn't seem to care either way. Or so he let on. Since his shield had been shattered in one night, he wasn't sure of how to progress. This guy knew more about him than his entire family combined, which was embarrassing to say the least. At the same time, he found he didn't regret any of it. Ichigo could see him. Ichigo cared enough to take the hit for him. _So I owe him._ Takashi clenched his teeth behind his lips. _Dammit, that baka!_ Though he couldn't damn him _too_ much. The image of Ichigo coughing up blood was going to stay with him for a long time. He'd never seen anyone almost die before, not in this way, and that it was Ichigo of all people… It bothered the hell out of him. Someone so full of verve and life, who was _everything_ and then being turned into an utter _void_ lying limp in his mourning mother's arms... It wasn't real, it _couldn't_ be real because there was just something so _wrong_ with it. It fucking ate at his brain. Kakashi eventually picked up on Takashi's silent anguish, took him aside and they talked about it for a while. Afterwards the questions assaulting his mind were finally silenced if not the strange icy touch still lingering in his mind.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo paused in the middle of tying up his roll. "Yeah?"

Takashi thought for a moment. There was no beating around the bush tactic or subtle way to ask. He went for the direct approach. "Did you know about…" Pause. "Your eyes, they sometimes… change color, like orange? I think Katana's noticed too. Has she said anything about it to you?"

Profoundly disgruntled by the abruptness of the question, Ichigo blinked. _Someone else knew? _"No." He frowned, a slight furrowing of his forehead. "I mean, she hasn't said anything. I… don't know what it is. I think my mother might know."

_"He would have died even if you hadn't shown up."_

_"Not necessarily…"_

Dipping his head in a slight nod, Takashi smiled a little. She did know, though she had not yet explained anything to him. He had decided against bringing it up before her again until he talked to Ichigo first. He was glad he had -- the idiot didn't know anymore about what was going on with himself than _he_ did! It didn't seem fair to Takashi that he knew before the other did so he decided to let it alone for now.

Unsure of what else to say or to explain, not that he had the first clue, Ichigo sighed. Oh well. It didn't seem like it was anything to really worry about at the present. A niggling little voice told him to talk to his father about it… He had a few suspicions. Maybe it wasn't the same thing, maybe it was. He'd find out soon enough. The last thing he wanted was for Takashi to start treating him differently. _Don't see why he should,_ he thought. _I mean hell he doesn't know what's going on either. I still can't believe he knew all this time._

"Why," he began, "didn't you say anything before?"

"I… well… It seemed sort of rude, I guess."

Ichigo sputtered and burst out laughing. "Aw man, can't you come up with better crap than that? That doesn't even sound like you."

"Hn."

Mutually they dropped the subject and finished putting their bedrolls away. Then they changed into their clothes before moving on to the next task at hand.

"It's your turn," Takashi muttered, absently rubbing his left arm in sour reminiscence.

Ichigo growled under his breath. "But I don't wanna…" he whined.

Takashi's mouth turned up in a satisfied smirk and he clapped Ichigo on the arm good-naturedly. "_Go maire tu_," he added in a language Ichigo had never heard of before grabbing his weapons and thigh holster and exiting the tent. Leaving him alone. With sleeping beauty.

Beauty, ha! All who dared to awaken Uchiha Katana lived to regret it. Briefly he entertained cowardice and thought about going to Kakashi. Immediately he rebuked himself, knowing Takashi would never let him live it down. Shit.

He sat there for several minutes by her, trying to think of the safest way to go about it. _Here goes. _Stretching out beside her, Ichigo propped his head up with one elbow and with the other hand, idly started playing with an ebony lock of his girlfriend's hair. He tickled her nose.

Katana sleepily brushed her hand across her face and turned her face into her arm. He kept doing it until she stretched out languidly in his direction. "Mrhmm, stop," she muttered wearily.

He tickled her ear. Her lips twitched and she started snickering. Ichigo grinned, let the lock of hair go and went for her sides, digging his fingers into her ribs. Before long he had her giggling hysterically and feebly trying to fend him off.

"You… baka… I'm… going… to…hehehe," she panted, flushed, caught part way between anger and mirth. She couldn't decide whether or not to kill him -- and this was as exactly as Ichigo intended. Get her laughing, get her in a merry mood, then she'd think less about killing and more about what a lovable doof he was. It was better than the alternative, right?

"You're going to what?" he teased, sticking his nose in the crook of her neck. (_Wow, she smells good, what does she use? _he thought).Squeaking, she slapped him on the shoulder. Pleased with her playful response, he sat up again, grinning like a cat having swallowed a canary. _All right!_ It was okay. She was smiling so he was still in the safe zone. For now, anyway.

Katana sat up and immediately started searching for a brush. Ichigo found it first and handed it to her. "Sleep well?"

"No. Someone," she glared at him, licking the corner of her mouth, "who shall remain nameless, talked in his sleep the _entire_ night." Ichigo jerked a thumb toward himself in a _moi?_ gesture of innocence he knew she didn't believe for a minute. "You had an entire conversation with your pillow on the effectiveness of dietary supplements and the alcoholic content of eggnog."

_"I did not!"_

"You did so! Move your butt, you're sitting on my bra." She didn't even wait for him to move and pulled it out. It resisted momentarily and came loose with a loud snap. She held it up for his view and waved it back and forth teasingly. Ichigo flushed ten different shades of crimson and started to back rapidly out of the tent, babbling and stumbling. "I'll be, you know, waiting outside. You want breakfast, or are you not hungry because if you're not, you know, I could just get you some herbal tea, I know you still like tea, right, here let me grab my shoes first and I'll be right outside, sorry…"

Katana was still tittering by the time he let the tent flap fall shut behind him. Getting up awkwardly, he brushed off his pants. He happened to catch Kiba's eye sitting across from him in front of his own tent. He was in the middle of removing a snarled burr out of Akamaru's white coat. The man smiled and shook his head. Ichigo shoved his hands deep inside his pockets and slouched down.

But she wasn't done yet. "Hey Ichigo, have you seen my panties?" She poked her head out, eyes twinkling menacingly. "You know the pink silk ones?" He grumbled something unintelligible under his breath and hurried away quickly. "Let me know if you find them, okay?" she continued cheerfully in a voice that was a bit too loud.

_I hate her, I hate her, I wish I were dead, I hate her, oh man she is so going to get it that little bitch!_ Ichigo clenched his teeth together and bunched the fabric of his pants up in his fists. It was about time he exacted revenge, what with her being such a pain in the ass all of the time. _I'll show her _pink panties_ all right…_

"Ha. You're reaping now."

"Shut up, Takashi." Ichigo barely glanced up as Takashi fell into step with him.

That bastard was grinning way too smugly to suit him. Ichigo aimed a punch at him; he ducked. "Moron," he mumbled.

"Dickless."

"At least I _have_ a girlfriend."

"Like I said, dickless."

"Fuck off."

"You first."

Ichigo aimed another punch, Takashi let it come at him, ducked, caught it and twisted his teammate's arm around and pinned it against his back. He did it so fast Ichigo's eyes bulged like two great big green light bulbs in his head.

"_Oi_."

Both boys stopped and glanced up, somewhat startled. Lounging in the tree above was their sensei with his book. Apparently he was getting in some early morning reading. He didn't need to say anything else. They grinned, parted, and in the ninja way darted off. Several moments later, Kakashi turned a page. He let his gaze drift over the top of the book.

Takashi and Ichigo raced each other to an elevated grassy knoll, cursing and shoving each other the entire way. After a time, Ichigo poked his friend in the side and pulled out his forehead protector, indicating the other do the same. They gave each other some distance and slid into combat positions. What followed was far from old-fashioned roughhousing though it was little more than simple taijutsu moves. Once or twice they argued about the application of one move or another.

_"That's not fair, how 'm I supposed to get out of that?" _

_"You don't, retard, you're supposed to die." _

_"But this is a freakin' spar!" _

_"Did they drop you on your head when you were born?"_

Kakashi made a soft amused noise under his breath. They were regular pains in the asses but they looked like they were going to make it. Takashi was overcoming his shyness and gaining a sense of worth and Ichigo was, well, Ichigo. A little more subdued since his brush with death, which was natural and common amongst Genin. He'd get used to it in time. Katana… he wasn't sure about her yet. _Though I've no doubt those smiles I've been seeing have something to do with a certain someone…_

Several curious children from the Anzen refugee camp started to gather, obeying when the boys chided they keep their distance. Minutes later Akira's sister, Karou, appeared chasing after a toddler, which she caught. She called to the children and they followed her back down. They waved at the boys who waved back before going back to their spar.

_Hmm, looks like I have a visitor._

"If you're going to insist on reading over my shoulder," Kakashi began at length, too casually, "you might as well get your own copy."

The lurking figure leapt down and perched on a branch near Kakashi, facing the opposite direction. He settled into a crouch, stood up and let his back hit the trunk softly against it, arms folded.

Neither man had spoken alone with one another or said more than what was needed since their return to Anzen. The only reaction Kakashi had had to seeing his former student again had been an indecipherable stare before he simply walked past him. The incident disturbed Sasuke the entire week until he couldn't take it anymore. He had enough ghosts haunting him. He didn't need Kakashi giving him the evil eye every time they happened to run into each other. Deep down he'd always cared about what the man thought -- even if it took him years to finally appreciate the gentle echoes of his advice knocking around inside of him. He hoped one day, he would find the courage to tell him that.

"Hn."

"Ah, the usual ornery response." Kakashi turned another page.

This was a good sign. "So you're talking to me now."

"So it would seem."

Ichigo defended against Takashi's blows, letting his opponent drive him down to the edge of the knoll. When Takashi appeared to tire, Ichigo drove back at him with full strength, forcing him on the defensive. He scored a swift strike across Takashi's midsection, causing the other to fold. Pain flashed across his face briefly and he hunched down. Since this was only practice, Ichigo eased off and allowed him to recover, dancing lightly on his feet. His friend looked up, taking note of his friend's antics. Ichigo must have made a ridiculous face because Takashi's own expression fought against a big wide grin threatening to over take his face.

_"Asshole."_

_"Bastard."_

_"Cow dung brain."_

_"…You can't use that. It has to be one word." _

_"Says who?"_

_"Says _you_ who started this stupid insult alphabet game." _

"Was it worth it?"

He knew what his former sensei was talking about. "…I don't know."

"Ah."

He felt the younger man's head snap in his direction and he could just imagine the fierce look he was giving him. Seconds later, the younger man appeared in front of him, looking like a storm cloud. Kakashi sighed and tucked the novel into his vest. He looked up and regarded his former student calmly. He realized what the problem was. "You want me to be angry."

Sasuke blinked, for a second so startled he looked just like that young kid he'd tied to a tree sixteen years ago. Kakashi shook his head slowly, patiently. _Still that same stubborn little prick he's always been. _

"I squared away my past disappointments concerning you long ago, Sasuke, it's time you did as well. Grow up." He sighed, appearing relieved. "Now that felt so good to finally say to you."

Slowly Sasuke's expression relaxed. _He's a bigger dork now than he was when I left. _His next 'hn' sounded amused. "So what happens now?" he said.

"That's up to you."

_I want everything to work out,_ he wanted to say._ Yes it's been too long but I want to try. Because I know its worth now, I won't ever leave anyone important behind again._ Instead he said, "I'm not going to run away anymore."

"Ah. Good."

Sasuke looked up, eyes narrowed curiously. However Kakashi simply took out the book again and opened it. The dark haired younger man let a small smile quirk his lips and he moved to leave. Before leaping to the ground, he looked back over his shoulder at his former sensei once more. He still wasn't convinced yet.

Sigh. "Will you go away?"

Smiling for real now, Sasuke snorted in mock disdain and did. He heard his former sensei chuckle behind him.

Nothing that happened between former sensei and student arrived in a timely fashion nor predictably, as such things in life are prone. They would reconcile slowly, over time, between battles and missions gone awry, in those small moments each would find himself in familiar places at the same time. They would never be completely okay with each other… Kakashi kept the last distance firmly in place and Sasuke respected that distance by never breaching it. Kakashi had silently forgiven Sasuke years ago for breaking their team. However he would never allow him the bond that could have existed between them, the bond Sasuke threw away so vicariously to the four winds the night he left.

Every foolish ambition had its cost, whatever form it manifested itself in. Some things that could have been can never be later on. Sasuke had learned this harsh reality the day he left Naruto's unconscious body in the rain.

Ichigo and Takashi stopped fighting and plopped down on the grass, sweating, bruised but smiling and laughing. A short time later, they were engrossed in conversation that involved a lot of wild hand movements from Ichigo and eye rolling from Takashi.

_I think I finally see where we went wrong, Obito, _Kakashi thought. _But I also see where we went right too. I see your stupid grin in every young kid I teach… and nothing else in life can ever compare to that.

* * *

_

"I'm not convinced."

"Oh c'mon, _what's_ so hard to believe? You make this seal, then you make _this_ seal…"

"Too complicated. Your opponent would have found an opening by the time you finished the jutsu. It's why it's classified as a _forbidden_ jutsu. It's impractical."

"No, it's not!" Ichigo pouted and squared his shoulders together stubbornly. He attempted another impassioned approach. "You're bringing semantics into it, Hayabusa. The success ratio of this jutsu when it's been completed is near flawless and you _can't_ deny the statistical facts!"

Takashi groaned and flopped open-armed onto the grass. _Spare me._ "Those same 'facts' also state the length of execution is what contributes to its impracticality." Ichigo glared at him. Exhaling, Takashi propped up on one elbow. "Okay, listen. Yes, it's got a near flawless success rate -- I won't counter that. But have you read up on how many _known_ times it's been used successfully? Five! Five times in the entire documented record of its use. All of the other _seventy-five_ attempts were gross miscalculations that ended in tragedy."

Ichigo folded his arms. "I still think I'm right," he muttered.

"_Baka_."

"Back at you." Ichigo noticed the expression on Takashi's face had changed and he frowned. He looked wary… fearful even. Then he saw where his eyes had fixated themselves and curious followed his line of sight to see what it was that was disturbing his friend.

Oh. Hell. Katana's father.

He scrambled to his feet, Takashi quickly following suit. They snatched quick uneasy glances at one another. Neither of them had ever been alone with the Uchiha and they weren't prepared to face him yet, each for his own personal reasons. From their time with Katana, both boys had unwittingly built Uchiha Sasuke in their minds as a man of great power they felt they paled in comparison to. Not that it had been Katana's fault of course they just naturally felt that way.

To his credit, Takashi felt nervous yet eager. He had wanted to talk this man for the longest time, criminal reputation notwithstanding, and he was glad he was getting the opportunity. Once they got back to Konoha, he suspected it would probably be difficult to even get near him.

Unlike his friend, Ichigo felt nothing but a consuming dread. He knew right down to the quick of his marrow that once Uchiha found out _he_ was the one dating his daughter, his head would most likely end up on a pike. Surely Uzumaki Ichigo fell short of the quality of man Uchiha Sasuke thought was suitable for his daughter? He felt unkempt, unworthy and suddenly worried about all the stupid things he never worried about even in the presence of the Hokage. Shit this was _worse_ than the Hokage! He could joke about using her bras as slingshots. He couldn't even imagine, say, joking about using Uchiha's shoestrings as spare fishing line. That would be like slitting his throat!

Nerves affray, Ichigo began to fidget uncontrollably. _Maybe I'm really supposed to die horribly after all…_

At a near loss for words, Takashi fell back on his manners. "_Konnichiwa_, Uchiha-san." He bowed. When Ichigo failed to follow suit, he jabbed him in the side. Ichigo gave a quick, awkward little dip of his head.

Uchiha nodded. Okay, that was probably still a good sign. Nods were the usual response of those stoic personality types.

"Uh, hi," Ichigo mumbled lamely, dearly wishing the ground would just open up wide beneath him and swallow him whole. "Wh-What's up?" _Oh now that was cool!_ he chastised himself bitterly. _Real slick, Uzumaki. Why not toss down a banana peel while you're at it?_

The older ninja appraised the two boys for a moment before replying. "Hayabusa Takashi?" he addressed the redhead boy, who noticeably stiffened when his name was uttered. He sounded like he was making sure he was getting the boy's name right. He _had_ to know it of course, they'd only traveled here together. In normal circumstances Ichigo would have been monumentally pissed off that Hayabusa was getting all the attention again. However in this case it was an enormous relief and the thudding behind his ribs slowed. So that's what breathing felt like!

"Yes. Did you want to speak to us about something?"

In answer, Uchiha merely rested his very dark onyx eyes on Ichigo, who turned several shades of white. "Would you mind?"

Takashi shook his head, amber eyes wide. His head moved before his mouth did. "No, not at all." He clapped Ichigo on the arm, squeezing briefly, casting him a sympathetic look before scurrying away. The blonde looked after him almost pleadingly but Takashi was already gone. _There's true friendship for you. _Save your ass, sure, perform CPR on your lifeless body, sure, but defending you against an S-class criminal with a powerful Bloodline Limit capable of rendering your brain _and_ body into goo? _Sayonara_ and thanks for all the rice!

Uchiha watched the other boy go and then gestured with his head the teenager follow him. Hesitating only briefly, Ichigo tagged along. He felt like every nerve and hair on his body was standing to attention. A bead of sweat appeared on his brow and he felt the corners of his mouth tug up instinctively. "What did you want to talk to me about… sir?" he added on the last afterthought quickly, frantically.

"Don't do that."

"Don't, uh, do what?" _Did I squeak, oh God, I squeaked._

"Call me 'sir.' I'm not the kind of man that commends an honorific." He paused and looked down at the cringing boy interestedly. "You don't have to be afraid of me."

"I-I'm not!"

"Then why are you?"

Ichigo opened his mouth and closed it, lowering his head. How could he answer that without inviting death in by the front door? "I don't know," he replied lamely.

Uchiha, incredibly, gave the boy a little smile. "I had hoped you'd have found me somewhat less intimidating. We've met before."

"We have?"

"The Hokage's office."

The information slammed into him hard.

_"How does it compare?" _

_"It doesn't." _

Ichigo's jaw dropped near clear to his feet. _Holy shit, that was HIM?_ He blinked hard and choked.

Seeing that the young man recognized him now, the older Uchiha stared at the sky, kind of searching it with his eyes. "I wanted you to know whatever it is you're afraid of… you don't have to be." He looked down at the boy who thought his narrow eyes resembled those of a hawk's. "Do you believe me?"

"Uh… I, uh, yeah. I mean, I do." Ichigo panicked and laughed, sweating running down the back of his neck. "I'm totally cool, me, I'm solid rock, you could break glass on me, I'm so cool…" Crap, crap, triple crap. "I mean… oh man…" he trailed off quietly, covering his face. _Maybe he should just Katon me and be done with it. _He didn't see how the older man just closed his eyes and smiled, shaking his head. Deciding that perhaps he had inflicted enough fear upon the unfortunate youth, he moved to leave, patting the kid once on the back of the head as he passed him.

At the brief contact, Ichigo stiffened as if someone had stuck a kunai into his back. When he dared to open his eyes and check behind him, the Uchiha patriarch was gone.

Overcome by the lifting of the death knell, Ichigo's mouth fell open and he exhaled heavily, falling onto his rear. Gradually his wrist came up and dragged across his damp forehead. "Holy shit," he breathed, hanging his head, palm to forehead.

"Damn. That was rough." Takashi popped up from the other side of the hill and plopped next to Ichigo. He smacked Ichigo on the shoulder. "You didn't piss your pants did you?"

Ichigo's head snapped up. "Oh shut up! Where the fuck did you go?"

"Just a little ways off. Why?"

"You left me!"

"The hell? He asked me to!"

"Oh don't even! You know exactly what I mean."

Takashi rolled his eyes. "Ichigo, does your mother still sit by your potty chair too? If you can't handle Katana's father, how the hell do you intend to keep any kind of honest relationship with her?"

"I can handle him! I just… wasn't ready." Ichigo sighed and hung his head close to his knees. "I think he likes you better. He didn't ask me about myself at all." His shoulders shook with a short and humorless laugh. "Wonder not, I'm just some pale imitation of my father with nothing more than a shitload of chakra to call to my name. At least you've got good breeding and a well-respected name to wave around," he added in a mumble. "Hell, you're better looking than I'll ever be."

Takashi sensed the direction Ichigo was going in with this conversation he didn't like. "Ichigo, what the heck are you getting at?"

Ichigo lifted his head. His eyes were hooded and impenetrably guarded. "I've seen the way you look at her. I'm not blind."

Blinking in surprise at first, Takashi stared at his teammate with unblinking eyes at first. Eventually he darkened and his narrowing amber eyes seemed to take on a duskier yellow tint. His cheeks pinkened a bit, though if it was with rage or embarrassment it was hard to discern. His knuckles whitened clutching the grass between his fingers.

He did not speak for a long time. "Are you accusing me again." It was a statement.

"No."

"Do you trust me."

"Yes." Ichigo's expression did not change. His face was like a steel wall.

Takashi clutched the grass even harder. He looked like he was ready to fight, in truth he was scared out of his mind. "Ichigo, I would never, I _have_ never…"

"I know."

The other boy stopped speaking. Ichigo averted his eyes, his facade becoming almost pained. His face fell into his palm and he slowly exhaled.

"Ichigo."

"…Yeah?"

"Forget about me. I'm a non-issue." Takashi was ripping these words from deep within, each one harder than the other to speak but dammit this is what he had to say. "You know what matters more than anyone else in the world. Don't worry about how I feel."

His head came up. "But you…"

Takashi leveled with him. "Katana loves you, not me. You don't need to look any further beyond that. Besides," he smiled, "you did more than enough for me, you idiot."

Ichigo smiled back. He'd heard what his friend really said. "Heh, well, you needed it."

"Doesn't mean I like you better."

"No way. That'd be just wishful thinking."

"Wait, you _want_ me to like you?"

"Hell no!" Ichigo made a disgusted face. "Where'd you get that from?"

"You just said…"

"_Wish_ful thinking!"

Hayabusa decided right then and there if either one of them made it to the Chuunin Exams, he'd make absolutely sure to bury this pain in the ass up to his neck. Though it appeared in his mind at the moment as a pure fancy, that was exactly what happened.

* * *

Sasuke found his daughter where he thought he'd find the girl. Sitting alone by the same small river he and Naruto had spoken by. She was wearing a pale pink sundress, probably borrowed from one of the civilian refugees. Her normally bound hair was loose and neatly brushed. It fell clear past her hips now and touched the edges of the grass. One lock was pinned behind her ear by a simple white hair clip. Her head rested atop her knees, arms curled around her legs, a peaceful expression on her face. The fading white scars on the exposed portions of her skin and leg bindings betraying the edge of a thigh holster were like gentle echoes; each mark tell-taling a history fraught with daily battles. Often when he gazed upon her, he saw a creature already grown old before her time, worn down like the edge of a seaside cliff. He feared she would never regain her youth and become dead-hearted, lost to the merciless shinobi life the way he had let himself become until recent years.

For once, his fears were unfounded.

* * *

Feeling my father's approach, I opened my eyes and lifted my head, drawing out of my midday doze. "Hi Papa," I said cheerfully.

My tone made the corners of his mouth tug up of their own accord. He sat beside me casually as he could manage. I was one of the very few people he allowed himself to completely relax around. "I found this," he said carelessly. He stuck something behind my ear. I touched it and smiled when I felt the silky petals, eyes arching in disbelief. Well, this was a switch.

"Where did you find a crocus at this time of the year?" I asked, arranging the blossom more suitably in my hair.

He draped an arm over an upturned knee. "I have my ways."

I eyed him. "You stole this out of the Anzen clan's greenhouse didn't you, you lying thief."

He smirked. Naturally I had to expect he'd never give up those types of habits. Seriously though did this man have no couth? Was _nothing_ sacred?

I pretended outrage. "Daddy!"

"If you don't want to know, don't ask." Unmoved, he let me swat his arm twice for his mirth. "Ow."

"Phst."

We fell silent for a while.

"So when were you going to tell me?" he began, staring at the way the sun shimmered on the water's surface.

"About what?" I neatly spread the edges of my skirt over my knees.

"About you and the Uzumaki boy."

Crap. I flushed a deep crimson, reasserted my hold on my knees and looked away. "I was," I mumbled under my breath.

"Was meaning never."

I shrugged noncommittally.

"I'm not asking for a lot here."

You think? I turned and looked at him, my face the very picture of challenge and suddenly I was ready to fight him to the death right there. It both shocked me and didn't at the same time. Otosan had no jurisdiction and nothing he could throw at me would dissuade me. "What?" I said quietly, glaring at him defiantly. _You're not going to say no to this._

The man knew every nuance I imbued into that one little word. "You can stop that right now," he glared at me right back. "I won't pay attention to that."

"Pay attention to what?" I said too icily.

I got a Look.

Yeah, I was being unreasonably childish. There was an invisible chip the size of Fire Country and guess whose shoulder it was on? "I'm sorry."

This had to be like pulling out senbon needles for him. Otosan exhaled, clearly frustrated with me. "I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do," he spoke softly. "Please just tell me the truth."

"Yes."

Guessing and knowing the truth were two different things. It still threw him somewhat even after my candid reply. "How long?" he asked at length, carefully.

I was hesitant. "The week before school started. So for about a year now."

"Aa."

"He's a very nice boy. Kind of a dork and he gets mad over dumb stuff." I pinkened. Hmm, not the confident angle I was going for. "It's… kind of bewildering how crazy he is about me; I don't mind though. He means what he says and he's been there for me what I needed someone." I smiled and covered my face, laughing. "I can't believe this. I'm talking to my father about my _love life_."

"If you want to make it even I'll tell you about mine," he deadpanned.

His joke worked. I covered my ears, turning away, laughing even harder. "Ew no!"

Otosan smiled wickedly.

"Seriously that's really messed up."

Like he cared. He shrugged before he gave me a long, measured look. "How do _you_ feel about him?"

I toyed with a lock of my hair. "I wouldn't trade him for anything." I covered my forehead, still shy about talking about the subject with my father. It didn't feel as weird as I thought it would be. Still, in principle, it was pretty embarrassing.

"If that's how it is, then I'm happy for you."

My hand dropped. Surprised, I whipped around, wide-eyed. "You are?" Was this for real? He wasn't going to give me the third degree and shove Ichigo into the Forbidden Zone? (I need to stop reading so much Western literature).

He nodded. Truthfully I could tell he wasn't crazy about the idea, I don't think any father is when it comes to his daughter dating. I knew he would always feel that protective urge to fend away anything that might hurt me -- especially people who might hurt me in ways I might never recover from. It was one of his worst fears, though one he never confided in me. I liked to think he didn't need to. For the moment, all I cared about was his approval, his acceptance of Ichigo's presence in my life. With an excited squeak, I leapt up and threw my arms around him. Tolerating the bad angle of it for a moment, he gently pried me off, as I was in the process of knocking him down. I apologized and scooted back to my spot.

"It's really okay?" I had to make sure.

"Aa."

I studied my father critically and suddenly a vaguely evil smile curled my mouth. I folded my arms and watched him expectantly. "Come on," I urged, a daring edge to my voice. "I know you're dying to lay it on me."

Otosan peered at me sidelong. "What?"

Eye roll. "Sasuke…"

"_Oi_." He exhaled and surrendered to the patient glare. "Are you two…"

"No."

Otosan visibly refrained from grabbing his own hair and tearing it out. Why did I insist on these things, force him to the point of them and then immediately save him from the humiliation after bullying him into them in the first place? He would never understand the twisted behavior of the female mind. It was my way of testing his boundaries, to see how much of his pride he could tear down to ask the questions that he wanted to ask. Plus it was just fun watching him freak out over such tiny little things.

"It's okay," I reassured him enthusiastically before he got into the murderous mind frame to hunt down my boyfriend. "Really. I'm not as stupid as you think."

"I don't think that," he replied curtly. "Not about _that_."

"Not like you, right?" I teased. No way was I letting him lock the barn door.

My father sighed, put both palms over his eyes and fell back against the grass. He was giving up. I kicked his leg. _I win._ A moment later, he did it back. _Did not._

"Papa?" I asked after some time had passed.

He opened one eye and peered up at me from beneath of the shadow of an arm. When I didn't go on further, he dropped his arm and propped himself up on one elbow. I was looking down at my lap and picking at the fabric.

At length I spoke. "I didn't want to ask this before because I didn't want to know for sure. Now I just want to put it to bed for good. No doubts. I… think you understand where I'm going with this." Otosan's eyes lowered when I looked at him. "I deserve to know."

"It's finished," he finally said after so long a pause I began to think he had decided not to answer.

At his words, I closed my eyes and tucked down my chin. With all of my heart I had hoped for a different answer and secretly somewhere inside of himself I knew he realized he wished he could have given me one. Getting to his feet immediately, he moved off quickly. I did not follow.

* * *

Naruto felt the impact of the shuriken cut into the wood with a sense of satisfaction. From sunrise and through midmorning he had been shuriken practicing. With everything pretty much settled between the clan and Konoha, it was time for them to move out and let the residents of the valley start to pick up the pieces of their lives again. After much careful consultation and deliberation, Heishi Akira agreed on forging an alliance with Konoha -- on the condition they were allowed to continue to govern themselves as they saw fit. Much was made of their willingness to shelter wanted nin like Sasuke, for whereupon investigation a few nin were found among their ranks who had been in the bingo book for some time.

_"None of these men and women are wanted for murder," Akira insisted fiercely when things were starting to get heated. "Some of them have been with us for more than ten years and they've shown us nothing but loyalty. If they choose to leave us, then we have no jurisdiction over them. But for as long as they are here and we are unanimous about it, they will not be harmed."_

_"What if they betray you?" Neji asked the younger man quietly._

_Akira's face showed no expression. "Then they die the moment they set foot in Anzen. We don't forget a single betrayal."_

_"Wouldn't leaving be considered a betrayal?"_

_Akira had smiled then and chuckled. "We don't keep birds in cages here, Hyuuga-san."_

Neji had backed off, Naruto recalled releasing several kunai, watching them bite into the bark. Naturally Akira had no way of knowing how his words would effect the other man and since Anko had been there as well, she understood and felt the younger man's words as well. No doubt that there were going to be a lot of kinks to work out with this alliance, Naruto mused. Whatever terms Tsunade would agree to, Naruto knew he would be expected to take them up upon his inauguration. Since he had hands on dealings with the clan, he knew things would progress favorably.

_Besides,_ he thought feeling a wonderful warmth blossom inside of him; _I already have everything I need to make me happy._

"Hey Dad."

Ichigo was standing there, smiling. It was an endless source of fascination to Naruto how much more the boy resembled his mother with each passing day. He smiled back at his son and abandoned his training. "Hey yourself. Done cutting down your friend?"

Ichigo waved away at the air non-chalantly. "He's off somewhere licking his wounds. I'll get mine later, I'm sure." He met his father's offer and brushed knuckles with him. "So what are you doing out here by yourself?"

Shrug. "Thinking, throwing knives."

"_Thinking_? Uh-oh, we're in trouble now." Ichigo laughed.

"Ne, very funny." He ruffled the kid's hair roughly, much to the boy's delight. "Where's the girlfriend?"

"By the river, talking with her dad. You know he came to see me this morning?"

Naruto's eyebrows went up. Well now. He perused the kid and supposed if he was still standing here alive, then that meant he was okay with what he guessed was the reason why Sasuke would even approach the boy. "And?" he prompted.

"He scares me."

Unconcerned Naruto made a sound and waved it away. "He's always been like that. Don't worry about it."

Thy boy looked uncertain. "You sure?"

"I am. Believe me if things change, we'll all know about it."

"Oh. Okay." Ichigo fidgeted, looking around distractedly. He reminded Naruto of a kitten he once saw observing its new surroundings for the first time.

Naruto took the pick of things. "Something else bothering you?"

"No, well, yes. Um." The boy bit his lower lip and chewed on it, a habit he'd picked up from his girlfriend. "I… shouldn't have survived that attack. The injury wasn't anything a normal human could have been able to survive. Takashi, he says he's seen me… do things." Fidget. "So I'm wondering if you've noticed it too. You must have." He peered at his father anxiously braced for the bad news bomb he was sure that was about to be dropped.

Stomach sinking, Naruto felt the air escape his lungs inaudibly. "What… kinds of things?" he asked weakly.

"Well, I've been told my eyes change color. I'm, uh, not getting tired out when I should be getting tired out. I do about the same amount of training my teammates do but when they're whipped, I can still keep going for another hour. When I was attacking that giant spider, my veins were, uh, glowing right through the skin on my arm." His father's silence unnerved him and he began talking faster. "Then…then I'm able to walk around right after getting bitten by a giant poisonous arachnid. I mean, that's _just not possible_." By this point, the boy looked near ready to panicking. "I'm not possessed am I?" He didn't even let the older shinobi attempt to formulate a reply. He started pulling on his hair, his green eyes dulled, faraway and glazed. "Oh no, I'm possessed, I'm a demon, I'm immortal, I've got something living inside me, I need an exorcist, my head's going to start turning backwards and I'm going to be…Mmrfh!"

Ichigo's nervous tirade was interrupted when his father put an arm across his collarbone and shoulders, pulled him against him and closed his hand over the boy's mouth firmly. He waited for the rigidity to drain from his son's body. After a time he let him go and turned him around, fingertips light on his shoulders so he could look him in the eye. _I have to tell him now. _Dread churned in his stomach at what he knew what he would have to reveal to his son. The only secret he had ever kept from him.

"There's nothing wrong with you," he began in the most serious tone the boy had ever heard him use. "Sakura-chan… your mother and I… we felt it was best not to tell you. We thought it wasn't something you needed to know. But it looks like we were wrong."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo tilted his head to the side, confused.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the final shred of Ichigo's innocence, before opening them again. "How much do you know about Kyuubi no Youko?" he asked quietly.

"Not much. We learned about it in class. It was wicked stuff." Pause. "What's that got to do with this?"

"Everything." Ignoring the expected puzzled reaction, Naruto walked over to the tree he'd been spearing and plucked out the kunai one by one. Putting them away, he sat down at the foot of the tree and gestured with his head. Ichigo obliged and joined him, waiting and attentive.

The sun passed overhead and gradually began the top of its descent. Everything spilled from him, _everything_. From the time he was born, the Wave Country incident, the Valley of the End... Naruto did not want to miss a thing. He barely allowed for any pauses and steadily plowed on when the brief interims were greeted by silence. They made him nervous and the longer Ichigo went without asking a question, the more he averted his eyes and shrank inside himself defensively. As Naruto spoke, he watched the expressions that crossed his son's face. It ran the full gauntlet of human emotions, wide surprised eyes, his mouth falling open from its grim line, flashing between anger, shock and sadness. For all that he never moved from where he sat.

And he never spoke.

The weight of his stomach began to feel heavier and heavier. This was the final culmination of their uncertain father-son relationship. For years Naruto had watched it hover between all out adoration and drawn back resentment. Right now he was remembering the unsettling, chilling tones his son's voice took on when he was angry, when Ichigo would back out of a room and flash him the finger in defiance. Those times he stood there frozen, wanting to do or say the thing Ichigo was plainly expecting him to do or say and the actions and the words _just not coming_. Watching as Sakura exacted the discipline said the strict, firm words of warning Naruto just could not bring himself to say to the boy. Because he was never there… because he wasn't the parent Ichigo wanted the approval of. It cut him deeply.

Now everything was on the table. He had given up the power now and he waited to see what it would do with its new freedom. No adultism could save him now… not that they ever had.

Ichigo hemmed and hawed internally, rubbing small, thoughtful circles on his knees. His head tilted to the side. "So…" he started and stopped, thinking again. "Can I see it?"

Naruto stared at his son.

The boy prodded. "The seal. Can I see the seal?"

Hesitating only briefly, he moved to do as he was asked. Naruto flinched when the boy poked it with an index finger as he studied it, the thoughtful expression on his face growing with each passing moment. "Huh," he finally uttered, taking his hand back. He looked up, appearing curious, watching his father rebutton his vest. "Do you think some of his chakra transferred to me when I was conceived?" he inquired unexpectedly.

"It would seem so," Naruto replied cautiously. "It could be something else. It's not likely but it's possible."

Ichigo nodded; it was a logical conclusion. Sensing his father's anxiety, he felt confused. Then slowly it sank in what it was that might cause his father to look so grim. A lot of what his father was feeling, who he was, and how their relationship existed as it did now was riding on this new knowledge. _He thinks I'm going to hate him_. He hardened at this presumption and sought to prove the hatred his father had had to suffer false. If there were a way to figure out what was going on with him, only time would answer that. There was nothing to forgive.

So he grinned the dorkiest grin he could summon. "Well, I guess it explains a lot of things, huh?" Then Ichigo capped the lid on his father's uncertainty by picking up his arm and tugging it, standing up. "I'm hungry. Let's go find that lady you said makes good ramen and see if we can get her to make us a couple of bowls. Doubt we'll be dining any better until we start back home tomorrow."

His father smiled, so relieved it almost hurt. "Good idea. Heh, were you reading my mind?"

"Maybe."

"Think we might have to pay her off?"

"Nah. Just take off your shirt."

Naruto stared at the boy incredulously. "Have you been talking to Ero-Sannin?" The former Frog Master's protégé had been particularly careful to make sure his son was always accompanied when he was around the old shinobi. More than anyone Naruto knew of the man's penchant for perversion. He was determined his son bear no scars from any encounter with Jiraiya. One morally corrupted Uzumaki was enough.

"No." Wicked grin. "_Mom_."

Shocked, Naruto made a choked type of sound. His face bloomed red and then glowed a soft pink hue as the blood began to drain again. Ichigo burst out laughing and towed the bewildered man along.

* * *

Sasuke supposed he couldn't blame his daughter for bringing up the subject. After all, his path of revenge had been a constant for most of her young life, though one she had always eyed with distaste. He was quite sure she had long forgotten it by now, he could not shake the indelible print of the words she had spoken to him the night before he left her in Konoha.

_Because she was right._

He let his thoughts drift with the sound of the rushing waterfall. He knew he would have to tell Katana the truth eventually. Someday when he would be brave enough to look her in the eye.

"There you are."

His eyes opened. Sakura was half-kneeling down and smiling that sweet smile of hers. The mist from the waterfall clung to her pink hair in beaded droplets. "I didn't think I'd find you hiding down here."

"It's quiet." He closed his eyes again.

Sakura straightened and gazed around them, her expression clearly impressed with the locale, though he could tell more so from the tone of her voice. "An underground waterfall. I've never seen such a thing. I guess you like waterfalls, ne?"

"Not especially. My daughter likes them."

"Ah. Has she seen this one?"

"Yes."

Neither spoke further for several long minutes. It was perfect, really. Sasuke had his eyes closed, his shirt was neatly folded beside him and Sakura had long grown out of being body shy. God knew in her long career if she'd seen one shirtless man, she'd seen them all. Except Sasuke. Catching this preludic thought, she almost slapped herself. There were more than several reasons why she shouldn't be entertaining such thoughts and she adamantly refused to give in to a single one of them. What ruled here, logic or hormones or… or…

"Sakura?"

Oh hell. He was looking at her and she was sure he'd caught her staring at him. Her face matched her hair as she gave herself a mental rebuke. "Eh?"

Her disgruntlement made him smile. Neither of them needed to say it.

Nerving herself, she settled in beside him, copying his sitting position. "What do you do down here by yourself?" she asked lightly, to get away from the awkwardness of the previous moment.

"I meditate. I think."

"Oh." Sakura stared down at her spread fingers on the cool surface of the rock. They had not finished their last conversation… and there was still that thing hanging in the air between them.

"It wouldn't be right," he spoke suddenly.

Sakura closed her eyes. So he knew.

"You don't have to act so morbid about it."

What? Sakura blinked and turned to stare at him. He was smiling that little smile of his. Feeling he was teasing her, her mouth dropped open and before she could think it through, she cuffed him. He went with it, on a tolerable sigh, shaking his head. Women had been hitting him all day. Karma, he supposed.

Feeling Sakura change her position, he watched as she moved to face him nervously. "I need to talk to you about something. I… I had thought about talking to Ino but," sigh, "I can't. And obviously I can't talk to Naruto about it."

"Because it's about him."

Sakura nodded. "I need your opinion."

Genuinely concerned, he stared at her. This was something that was going to affect all three of them.

Taking his silence as assent, she brought her hands together and to her mouth for a moment. Then she lowered them again into her lap, looking a lot more together than she had a moment ago. "I'm going to ask Naruto to marry me."

For a breathless moment, Sasuke forgot to blink. Finally he looked down and away, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I know you probably think a woman shouldn't propose," she continued quickly, "but I know I'm going to have to be the one to do it. He doesn't think I love him… and I guess I've given him every reason to think so." Sakura bit her lower lip, her bright eyes misting over. He still wouldn't look at her. Pained by his assiduous silence, she let her face fall into her hands. She was crying.

"Sakura…"

She interrupted. "I do love Naruto, Sasuke." Sakura's shoulders drew together as she tried to control her sobs. "But I don't… I mean you…" She was cut off mid sentence because of her teammate's embrace and just let her face fall into his bare shoulder. "You're as important to me as Naruto, you've always been, even when you were gone for all those years. I know I've never meant the same to you but I-I just wanted you to know that. I've always wanted you to know that."

Sasuke stared at her desperate face for a few moments. Then, just lightly, he let his lips ghost over hers before gently tugging them both to their feet. He stooped to retrieve his shirt and pulled it back on. With his back to her, he checked his knife.

"Sasuke-kun…" he heard her murmur faintly behind him.

Because she could not see, he smiled when she said his name like that. Perhaps it was only a childish indulgence; not that he cared _what_ it was anymore. She would love him forever because she could never fathom _not_ loving him. He had known it all those years ago and he knew it now. He also knew that taking it now when it was no longer something he could hope to keep was not possible. Sakura was asking for one simple thing, something he _could_ give her, something he could give both of them.

Sasuke turned and looked into her eyes. "If I'm the reason you're stopping yourself, you shouldn't; and you're wrong about what you think you mean to me."

Sakura's face lit up, a secret delight dancing in her eyes and her mouth. She heard him say what he had not said. Murmuring his name, she enfolded him tightly. He would remember the happiness in her eyes for the rest of his life.

* * *

One of the most pain in the ass things about coming home to Konoha was the compulsory stop at Konoha Hospital. After each mission, every shinobi and kunoichi needed to check in at the attached clinic and have a nurse have a little look-see, even if he or she was completely healthy and uninjured. Due to several health scares over recent years and one dangerous outbreak, Godaime put the Hokage stamp of approval on a new list of health codes every full time ninja and globe trotting civilian needed to follow. No one wanted to risk out of country epidemics. The last one had nearly exhausted the medical budget for the entire year.

Yeah, so the village was a safer place health-wise because of these rules. Didn't mean anyone liked them. Even Rock Lee looked sour as he trailed after a squeaky shoed nurse with a pasted on smile across her perky face. And he was the lucky one, he got to go first; the rest of us unfortunates had to sit in the waiting room and stare at babies paying with beads on wires in the middle of the floor. There were a lot of us too so it was going to take a long time to get through everyone.

Except Otosan. He was placed inside a locked room the minute he stepped into the building. I saw a nurse come out of the room looking absolutely dazed. Her cheeks were rose-petal-pink like she'd just met a famous celebrity. I discreetly rolled my eyes heavenward. I was beginning to suspect that despite the reputation his return would probably garner, women were still going to be checking out his ass every time he walked by them. _I wonder if Papa would take offense if I refused I go out in public with him anymore? _

"Katana."

Takashi was talking to me. Dead tired and just wanting to sleep forever, I lifted my head and looked at him sitting across from me. "Yeah?"

"You ever read any plays?"

I frowned. What? "Yeah?" I replied vaguely, hinting he make his point. Part of me couldn't believe he was actually initiating conversation for the sake of conversation. Whatever happened to the quiet prick I knew and hated?

"Familiar with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?"

" '_If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended_.' " I yawned, covering my mouth with my hand. "What about it?"

"Apparently sometime in our recent past, a certain someone who shall re-… Mrf!" Takashi was grabbed from behind and a hand was slapped over his mouth. Ichigo leaned over his friend's shoulder and grinned one of those really wide grins that told you he was clenching his teeth together extra hard. His eyes were angry, belying the false cheer he was forcing his face to exude. Takashi waved one arm around, grabbed Ichigo by the ear and twisted it _hard_. With a yowl, Ichigo wrested free and clapped one hand over his now angry red ear. Kakashi, sitting beside him, caught the youth by the arm and forced him to sit down. I exhaled slowly and hung my head. Why me.

"Don't tell her!" growled Ichigo, refusing to sit still and sitting up in his chair. His fists were clenched.

"You never said I couldn't," Takashi replied calmly. "I think it might make for some amusing future blackmail."

"BASTARD!"

Naruto, who was sitting to Ichigo's right, simply turned and cuffed the side of his son's head. "Sit down and shut up," he told him in a low, threatening manner.

"But Dad…"

"I won't repeat myself. Front and center. NOW."

"FINE," my boyfriend ground out, turned back around and slouched down in his seat, pouting.

"Kakashi, how do you handle this kid?" Naruto asked his former sensei lightly, relaxing against the waiting room chairs, propping his feet up on the magazine table, ignoring the displeased glares passing nurses shot him.

"The same way I handled you," our sensei replied, not looking up from his novel.

"Oh really? By the way does he still…?"

"Sometimes." Kakashi stopped him from finishing the sentence due to the mounting horror on Ichigo's face. "I think sharing a tent with a teammate is breaking him of the habit though."

"Good. Sakura-chan and I were getting worried."

"Dad, I'm sitting _right here_," grumbled Ichigo crossly.

"I know."

My boyfriend snorted and mumbled something foul and obscene under his breath. Blissfully the adults ignored it. Takashi and I were smiling at each other.

"He was Puck," he mouthed.

My eyebrows rose and I let my expression speak for itself. Takashi nodded and jerked his chin over his shoulder behind him. I started giggling causing a narrowed eyed Ichigo to peer over his own shoulder at me suspiciously. Then he glared murderously at Takashi. "When we get out of here, meet me where we usually spar."

Nonplused, Takashi shrugged. Whatever.

Kakashi sighed. It didn't need to be said: it looked like he was going to be playing referee again today. I suppose any time he wanted to save for his book reading was going to have to wait. I caught the eye of Mitarashi Anko who was reading a magazine beside me and we exchanged brief smiles.

"Well, well, look who managed to drag her limp carcass back to Konoha."

I looked up and grinned. "I recognize that sarcastic inflection."

Hyuuga Tomoe entered the waiting room area with her two teammates, Okami and Akito, in tow. They both appeared bored until Ichigo jumped to his feet - "Hey, Okami, Akito!" - then grins tugged at their faces. They stood together off to the side, immediately becoming engrossed in Ichigo's encore oral presentation of Operation Arachnid. Okami and Akito were old Academy playmates of his, going back to the sandbox and jungle gym days so basically this was the old boys' club having a reunion. They did pause to greet Takashi who just raised his hand in acknowledgement before going back to his edition of Konoha Digest.

Tomoe couldn't contain herself and threw her arms about me enthusiastically. "You have to tell me everything!" she blurted. "Even if we're up all night and have to order in food. I don't want you to leave out a single detail."

My stomach plunged. "_Everything_? Can't you just read the mission report?"

"Who says I'd be allowed to read that? No, this is not negotiable. You're telling me everything, lazy ass, and that's final."

Talk about a brick wall. I whimpered and folded my arms. Tomoe snorted and folded _her_ arms. Yeah, the cute act didn't work with her, not like it did on my boyfriend. It didn't work on my father either.

Speak of the Devil. He emerged from the room flanked by two ANBU guards, both of which he gave a brief narrowed eye regard of distaste before ignoring them. He indicated me and they nodded. Remaining where they were, he approached us.

Tomoe's mouth half fell open and she stared and stared until you'd think she was going to burn a hole through the wall.

"Where are they taking you now?" I asked him, immediately worried.

"To the Hokage. She'll be deciding what to do with me." He emphasized 'do' as if he thought she thought he was a problem to be solved and he thought she was nuts.

Getting a whiff of something I didn't like, I grew fearful and grabbed his arm. He removed it. Sensing the tension in the air, Tomoe made herself immediately discreet. I waited until she was out of earshot before speaking in a harsh whisper. "They won't put you in jail will they?"

"I don't know."

"They _can't_ kill you." But even though I said it out loud to reassure myself, I couldn't convince myself.

"I doubt it will get that far." In a lower voice he added, "And I don't think Naruto would stand for that."

My fear ebbed, somewhat. I still wasn't feeling very good about all of this. I had just gotten him back, like hell was I going to let anyone take him away from me again. I nodded mutely. When Otosan touched my cheek to get my attention, I looked up.

"I promise I'll come find you when I can get away. Where do you live?"

"Where you did."

There was dead silence. I could see a conflict go on in him and his dark eyes and he merely nodded.

"I had no money and I couldn't access the clan accounts," I desperately explained, fearing he was about to yell at me. It sometimes happened when he got really quiet like this. "I didn't know where to go at the time. I'm sorry, if you don't want me living there, I'll…"

"No." He interjected softly. "It's all right." Otosan glanced at the ANBU. One of them touched his wrist and pointed over his shoulder. He nodded and turned back to me. "I'll be okay." Quirk of a grin.

I had to laugh. "Don't let those ANBU guys push you around. See you later?"

"Aa."

Since we weren't the kind of people that hugged in public, I slapped his arm lightly once and he gave a lock of my hair a tug, before he was escorted out. I watched them until they had exited the clinic. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Naruto watch them leave. He looked conflicted, the desire to chase after them clearly written on his face. Sakura bit her lip and touched Naruto's leg, giving his knee a quick squeeze.

Seeing them gaze upon my father with the same loyalty I felt caused the ice in my stomach to melt. Otosan had two other people who loved him even though he was gone for all those years. They would not turn from him now. I wasn't alone in defending my father and knowing that there were other people who loved him like I did warmed me inside. It made me wish I had known both of them from the beginning.

"Katana." Tomoe spoke from my right. "Who _was_ that? Your brother?"

"No." Here we go. "My father."

"No way. He's too cute to be your dad."

"Yeah, I know."

She heard my tone. "Heh, get that a lot, don't you? Well, he _is_ hot, Katana." Thoughtful pause. "Hey, how old is he?"

I knew _exactly_ where this was going. "Tomoe, if you plan to say what I think you're about to say, I will kill you in your sleep."

Huffing at my exaggerated posturing, Tomoe held her hands up and backed away. "Well, excuse me, Miss I-had-a-crush-on-my- boyfriend's-dad!"

"WHAT?"

I closed my eyes. Of all of the parts of the conversation he picked to hear, Ichigo picked _that_. Opening them, I hissed savagely at my friend, "Thanks a lot!"

Serene superior grin. "You are so welcome." Then she left me there the bitch left me there! That's it, I have no friends.

Luckily a nurse chose that moment to call out Ichigo's name and he promptly forgot about it. Exhaling with relief, I wandered over to Ichigo's abandoned chair and plopped into it, rubbing at my forehead with my fingertips.

"Best friends are the worst, huh?"

I smirked and glanced at him amusedly. "I'm learning that the hard way. Grossed out?"

Naruto stretched his arms behind his head and folded them. "Nah. I knew about it." Wink.

I blushed. He laughed. I decided to change the subject. "So when's the big day?"

"This weekend, hopefully. Sooner if the old lady had her way." I started giggling. "What?"

"You are going to look so stupid in that hat."

He snorted. "Sakura-chan's been telling me that all day."

* * *

"Cut to the chase and give me the bottom line."

Tsunade tched and tapped her scarlet colored nails on the surface of her desk, her hazel eyes narrowed in displeasure. _Young thing like him coming in here and telling me what to do! He hasn't changed much has he?_ She dared not seat herself in his presence so long as he was unwilling to take the guest's chair in hers.

"Right." Tsunade turned her back and gazed out of the window behind her desk, ruminating on a number of thoughts and idle notions before facing back again. "Well, let's take a look at the broader picture." She made an open handed gesture to the chair, her eyebrows telling him the rest. Reluctantly Uchiha seated himself but added an endearing slouch to his sitting position. A quick smile tugged at her mouth yet it was gone by the time she was sitting behind her desk again.

"You left the village for an enemy of Konoha sixteen years ago." Tsunade traced a finger over a small pile of paperwork. "Then you disappeared from Sound quite suddenly one day. Rumors began to spread. You were alive but no one ever knew where you were. Then a year ago you dumped your daughter here." Grin. "You're lucky Naruto was willing to look on her, I don't think anyone else would have helped her touch the Academy with a ten-foot pole." Sasuke frowned. "Providentially I made it possible that she be given the same citizen status as any other Konoha resident. Be thankful I'm a gambler, Uchiha. I doubt anyone else would have been so willing to risk the entire village on a whim." Pause. "I've been given full authority and jurisdiction over your fate so you better start liking the sight and sound of me now."

"…Until Saturday."

Long measured glare. "Do you want me to throw you out of my office?"

"Please."

Tsunade laughed. The bastard actually smiled, looking adorably pleased with himself if in a rather annoyingly smug manner. She curbed the desire to smack him, figuring he'd catch her hand before it could touch his face anyway.

"All right, Uchiha Sasuke, here's your fate…Wait, hold on a minute." She raised her voice. "Shizune! Get in here!"

The door opened and a middle-aged woman poked her head in. "Yes?"

"I need a witness. Do you have time to stand around for a few minutes and sign a piece of paper?"

"Of course." Shizune closed the door behind her. "Hello," she politely greeted the dark haired man sitting before the Hokage.

"Hi."

"All right." Tsunade held her hands before her in a triangular teepee under her nose. Her eyes closed and then opened. "Uchiha Sasuke, despite your recent acts of heroism I cannot ignore the fact you've been an S-ranked missing nin for the past sixteen years. You could have come home but chose not to."

"I had my reasons."

Nod. "You're fortunate despite the fact your portfolio is stuffed full of sightings of you, there's not much evidence to support your involvement in anything that could be called a crime - other than your defection." His expression was still and unmoving. "But because I'm a spiteful, unforgiving bitch, I'm going to make you contemplate four stone gray walls for the next eight months. There is no bail. Be thankful. I could have had you executed. There's nothing in our laws to stop me from doing it."

He nodded with his eyes turned down ever so slightly. Good, she was getting to him.

"There's more."

Oh yeah, she had his attention now.

"You're a hell of a talented shinobi, Sasuke. You have abilities that surpass what most ninja could complete in a lifetime. Given your heritage, it's not surprising." Tsunade paused, exhaling silently through her parted lips. This next part of the verdict he would have the hardest accepting – one the entire village would regret passing down. However the law was the law. "Unfortunately you can no longer be allowed the privilege and status of a Konoha shinobi." She bit her lower lip faintly and blurted it out. "Since Katana is still learning how to use her Bloodline Limit, your chakra reserves will not be reduced as they normally would be under these circumstances. You are to use your techniques only when training your daughter in addition to Kakashi's instruction. Furthermore you may not leave the village unless the residing Hokage specifically orders it. If you violate any of these conditions pending your release from prison, the consequences will be severe. Do you understand?"

Totally, damnably expressionless, Sasuke nodded. It disconcerted her. Despite the heavy-handedness of her dictum, a fate most ninja would consider worse than death, this man seemed amazingly fine with it. Perhaps even a bit perplexed if she was reading his face correctly.

She elaborated, just to drive the point home. "This is the most lenient punishment I could hand out without killing you. I was barely able to get the elders to agree to it. None of them wanted to give you a chance. They're not a forgiving bunch no matter how old the crime is."

Sasuke sat back in his chair, shrugging vaguely, still infuriating blase.

Eyeing him closely, Tsunade frowned. "You're taking this well." She motioned to Shizune with her eyes to approach her desk and offered her a pen and pointed to the document open between her arms. "Most shinobi would balk at the idea of being reduced to a mere civilian."

The young man offered her a quirk of a smile. "I'm not most people," he told her, a barest edge of warmth in his usually toneless voice.

The Godaime blinked and slowly she smiled back. _His daughter rubbed off on him. I wonder who was really the teacher and who was really the student?_ With a wave of her hand, she dismissed him and watched the young man leave her office. Shizune watched him go too, with obviously more interest.

"Che," the Hokage clucked, slightly annoyed.

Shizune lifted her chin defiantly. Her subservience had faded with her youth ages ago. "I don't care. He's got a nice ass."

Tsunade knew how to douse this fiery back talk. "I know. If you hadn't been here I would have way-laid him across my desk." She said the entire thing with a straight face. It got the desired reaction.

"Tsunade-sama!"

"What?"

* * *

Stepping out into the bright Konoha sunshine, Uchiha Sasuke was surprised to find someone waiting for him. He was sitting on the steps outside of the Godaime's office and when Sasuke appeared, he turned to look up at him. Strange how of all the people he wasn't in the mood for at this moment, _he_ always seemed to know when to pop in to make a nuisance of himself. _You're a bothersome inconvenience, _he thought at him with a well-honed glare. _Intruding where I never want you because you know it's exactly where I need you, you clumsy stamina junkie. _Naturallyhe'd never tell the idiot _that_. Why should he when Naruto already knew it so well?

"So?" he queried promptly, his grin still but tense, on edge.

"They're not killing me."

Naruto's face went to a healthier shade of tan. "And what you're not saying?"

"In summary, I'm doing eight months hard time, I can never leave the village again and I can only use my ninjutsu for training my daughter."

Pale. "For… how long?"

Sasuke didn't mince words. "Forever."

The information hit his friend harder than he imagined. Naruto actually looked _sick_. "B-But that means you're… and-and you're okay with that?!" he uttered in a near yell. You'd have thought it was _him_ they'd sentenced.

"Yes."

Sasuke started down the steps, Naruto stood up and dismissed the ANBU guards with a wave. They fell into step together.

He explained his tone matter-of-fact, terse. "I don't want to be a twenty-eight year old Genin, Naruto."

Naruto's hands were in his pockets. "I can't believe you let her do that to you," he muttered under his breath. "You not a ninja anymore? The old hag might as well cut your…"

Sasuke interrupted him. "I said I'm all right with it," he spoke softly though the words were hard-edged.

It still wasn't a good enough answer, not for Naruto. "How?" he nearly howled. "How can _not_ being a ninja be all right with you?! You've only been one your entire life!" Naruto stopped in front of Sasuke, looking up just slightly because Sasuke was taller than him (a fact that continually irked him to no end). "This is because you got your revenge isn't it? You got your revenge so you stopped caring! You're just going to throw it all away? That's all what being a ninja was about to you?! HUH? ANSWER ME!"

Sasuke remained unruffled. "No."

"No, what?"

He did not reply. He attempted to move past Naruto but his friend sidestepped quickly, blocking him, the determination in his expression telling the Uchiha he wasn't getting out of this one. He attempted a stare down but it proved to be an exercise in futility. The Kyuubi container could outstare him and both of them knew it.

Naruto repeated himself, more quietly. "No, what?"

Sasuke averted his eyes for a moment before meeting the other man again. "It wasn't about that."

"Then what was it about?"

Sasuke took his time, letting his gaze linger somewhere into the distance for a moment. "I have… some dreams," he finally said, so simply it almost made Naruto tear out his hair. "You never asked me," he added.

Naruto stared at him lengthily, understanding the vague meaning behind the words, hearing the question behind the question he never asked. He waited until they were on the old bridge where their team used to wait for Kakashi before he answered.

"He let me kill him."

Naruto blinked, opened his mouth once and closed it. Sasuke stopped him without moving. He'd made his peace with it a year ago, after sleepless days and nights where thoughts crawled into his brain to sting him senseless until sunlight dared to break over the darkness. There were moments, seconds, bits that still crawled out and stung him again when he least expected it, metamorphosing his entire existence into an empty microcosm. Naruto could not understand – would never understand. Yes, he had tasted something of it – he'd known the fever that could take hold of a man, he could always see it in those blue depths. Two objects could not occupy the same space. But wouldn't they try.

"Dobe."

"What?"

"I've got until Monday."

Naruto's eyebrows jumped and then he grinned evilly, seeing the opening and going for it. "I don't know what Sakura-chan told you about me but, hey, hey OW DAMMIT FUCK THAT WAS A JOKE YOU ASSHOLE WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Naruto gimped along, shaking his fist at Sasuke careless retreating back. "That's it, you're _not_ invited tomorrow! I'm washing my hands of you, rot in jail for all I care, I'm DONE with you!"

Unbeknownst to his future Rukodaime, Sasuke was smiling. In the middle of his litany, he plunged directly through. "Are you coming or not?"

Naruto shut up and stopped his fake limping. "I'll always hate you," he grumbled. "You're an attention whore, a stuck-up masochistic asshole and I'll never ever forgive you for what you did for as long as I live. But…" he gentled and shot Sasuke a quiet challenge, "it doesn't mean I'm not going to make you spend the rest of your life making it up to me."

Sasuke shrugged. There were worse fates than being at the beck and call of Naruto. He'd known a few of them and he decided that next to them, Naruto was little more than a fly buzzing around his head.

But he would be damned if he ever told the idiot that.

* * *

When Takashi was released from the clinic with a clean bill of health, he went straight home. The sparring match was canceled due to some grudging doctor's orders about Ichigo, orders Ichigo heeded at the urging of everyone around him. Inwardly Takashi was relieved – fighting with his teammate over something so stupid was enough to make him bone weary, more so than he already was. He just wanted to _sleep_.

Takashi paused at the entrance to his clan's grounds, staring at the house for a few moments. Then taking a short breath, he began walking up the path to the front door. Along the way, he heard some commotion. Curious he followed the noises. They led him to the far end of the compound to the training area. He went around a building and stopped.

In the center of a small grassy area stood Shinji and his cousin, Arisa. They were both sweating and out of breath. After a few breaths, Arisa began to speak. "Not bad. Think you can do that when it counts?" She was a tall woman in her early twenties with long red-gold hair and pale features. Every man in Konoha wanted her – but she scoffed at the attention. She had a fiancé back in Eire she was trying to bring over and she was fiercely loyal to him.

"I think so."

"Not the answer I was goin' fer, lad. You either can or you can't. Now whi' o' them is it?"

"Yes. Yes, I can do it," Shinji spoke quickly and decisively. "Geez, you're such a hard ass. Can't you teach me that jutsu already? I've done enough preparation for it."

"No. Your chakra levels ain't near at where they ought'ta be."

"Oh come on! They are so!"

"Aye, they are not. I don' want'ta hear about it no more." She straightened up and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "You be the worse brat I've ever trained, you know that? Midori does a better job listenin'ta me."

"I don't care. You're still the worst teacher ever," grumbled his brother. "I can't believe I agreed to train with you."

"That's your mistake, lad, not mine."

"My mistake or not, you still suck. Don't preach it if you can't practice it."

Arisa narrowed her yellow eyes dangerously. "You want'ta die? You best watch your mouth 'round me."

"I'm sooo scared," Shinji drawled dramatically. He noticed Takashi out of the corner of his eye and his expression completely switched to surprise. "Twerp?"

Arisa turned and a big smile stretched across her face. "Well, look who it is! You be a sight, Takashi. You better get your butt in the shower 'fore you start ta put down roots." Looking around over her shoulder she shouted, "Midori, get out here! Guess whose come home!"

A little redheaded girl came around from the direction of the house, carrying a baby girl, both arms wrapped around her. She saw her brother, squealed, put down the toddler quickly and ran to him. "TakashiTakashiTakashi!" Midori threw her arms around the older boy's waist and spoke the rest into his stomach. "I missed you _so_ much!" she enthused rapidly. "Did you have fun on your mission? Ew you're dirty you need a bath. You know Mommy hates dirt, you better go around the back." She started to tug him in that direction.

Takashi didn't move. He was in shock. He couldn't believe the barrage of welcome he was getting. Midori _missed_ him? Since when in her 'I hate your guts!' life was there room for her missing him? There had to be some kind of reason, he thought, looking down at where Saki was tugging on his pants. She opened her hands to him and waved, wanting to be picked up. Takashi complied and quietly reveled in her cuddling up against him, her sweet baby smell making him smile. He couldn't believe they'd noticed he was gone. Was he truly wrong about his family? Was his invisibility only in his head? Or… did it take his not actually being there for them to notice he was gone? Takashi decided he didn't care. Even if things went back to the way they'd been before he left, he would have this day to remember that for one moment in time, his family noticed his existence. It made everything he'd gone through worthwhile.

Arisa was at his side a second later giving his ear an affectionate twist. "Welcome back, brat. See you at dinner. Here, give me the baby." Takashi handed Saki over and watched Arisa and Midori head back to the house.

It was only then he noticed Shinji standing beside him and just as he comprehended his growing proximity, he was suddenly being swept up into a fierce bear hug.

"Little shit," he heard his brother mutter. "Where the hell have you been? Mom's been a wreck since you've been gone. She heard about that giant spider and almost passed out." He let him go. "Oh yeah, I've been worried too," he added offhandedly. "I really missed you throwing your slippers at me. Guess I'll be kissing those peaceful nights good bye again."

Takashi grinned. "You will." Quietly he spoke. "I've, uh, I missed you too." Shinji looked skeptical but vaguely hopeful. "And about the night before I left, when you…" His brother waved at him and shook his head, indicating nothing needed to be said. "Well, I heard you."

"Forget it." Shinji pushed the back of his head to get him going. "Now get inside and clean up so Mom can properly smother you to death. I'll guard the bathroom so no one bothers you but I won't promise anything."

"All right but _you_ have to _stay outside_." Takashi glared at him, fists clenched. "If you sneak in and switch on the faucet…"

"I won't! I swear on the blarney stone. You have my word."

Takashi stared at him for a long time before he pointed at his brother. _"Is minic a gheibhean beal ocailt diog dunta!"_

Shinji rolled his eyes. "Geez, if you're threatening me in Gaellic, you must be exhausted. Get your ass inside before I kick it there."

"Yes, Niisan." Takashi went and gladly, giving his brother the one finger salute as he went.

It was good to be home.

* * *

The night before his big day, Naruto found himself awake and staring at the ceiling. Sleepless nights weren't new to him, hell he could go three days without sleep effortlessly. Most of those A-class solo missions were enough to keep even the most hardened soldier awake at night. This particular bout of insomnia he suspected was going to be particularly difficult. Tomorrow was the day he would fulfill his dream. Tomorrow Tsunade would be stepping down. Tomorrow…

_Is taking too long to arrive._ He turned over and shoved his head under his pillow and groaned. He had never been good at the waiting thing. Tonight was proving to be absolute torture. How many hours until sunrise anyway? Naruto peeked at the clock on his nightstand and exhaled loudly. Eight hours. He was certain he wasn't going to last that long. To take his mind off it, he forced himself to think about other things. It was better than getting worked up like this.

Far as he could tell, things had sure improved in the last few weeks for the better. Now with Sasuke back, he felt he could truly take on the mantle of Hokage without the invisible weight of his friend not being there weighing him down. He wasn't happy about the eight-month jail sentence but he figured things could be worse.

_He could have been executed._

A grim smile tugged at Naruto's mouth. _Yeah right, let them try._ He wondered idly if the Council was just playing it safe on account of the upcoming Hokage change. It would explain the odd leniency of their actions regarding the one-time missing nin; why create resentment in a newly nominated leader toward the inner ruling power from the start? It only made sense. Better that they got used to it now after all. There were going to be some very definite changes around here.

Not that change was anything new to him. His eyes fluttered shut. A knock to his door brought them open again. Who the hell would be pounding at his door at this time of the night? Please not the kid, he prayed fervently. Ichigo had about ninety thousand dependency issues, some, if not all that were quite annoying. One of the hardest to break was the habitual midnight wandering. Sometimes Naruto swore the kid was part owl.

More insistent knocking. Naruto flung the pillow off and swing his legs over the side of the bed. "Shit," he cursed under his breath_. This better be good because I am killing whoever that is if it's not,_ he avowed, trudging toward the door reluctantly, kicking aside a few stray scrolls. He opened the door, all set to ream out flat the perpetuating disturbance to his peace. Instead his anger faded immediately and the rigidity within bled to nothing.

"Sakura-chan?" he murmured softly, his eyes automatically taking her in. She was dressed in civilian clothes, a pretty green dress that matched her eyes, and a shiny clip in her hair. God, she looked hot. "What are you doing here?" _Why do you have to torture me by dressing like that?_ he added silently. The dress was on the conservative side, never meant to be a seductive piece but you'd have sworn it was.

She smiled, somewhat nervously. "Did I wake you up?"

"No."

Her lips twitched again in a familiar smirk. "I figured you wouldn't be able to sleep either. Um, can you… will you come with me?" The last sounded anxious, almost trembling.

"Uh sure. Where?"

"Nowhere in particular. Just for a walk. The moon is out."

He nodded once and pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. She nodded and waited outside for a few minutes while he threw some decent clothes on. Then he joined her.

They walked around for an hour, stopping by various landmarks. Neither spoke much. Both discreetly kept snatching glances at one another from the corners of their eyes when one thought the other wasn't looking. Eventually they made it to the old Team 7 bridge, unconsciously assuming the places they normally had occupied all those years ago. This place was their comfort zone, their source of solace when memories of their comrade tormented them too much.

But that was all over now.

For a long time, they remained there, quietly, as if in a church before prayers. Naruto watched Sakura, the way the wind gently played with the strands of her rosy pink hair, made gray in the moonlight. _Pretty,_ he thought absently. She smiled and closed her eyes.

"I like this," she murmured. "It's different from before."

He smiled too, knowing exactly what she was talking about – like he always did. "Yeah." He rested his hands in his pockets. Waited.

She gradually looked at him, that strange nervousness back again. She began to move toward him. "Naruto," she spoke softly. "I need you to tell me something." Deep breath. "I need you to tell me how you feel about me."

His heart started beating faster. "Sakura-chan, what is this?"

Her face twisted a little, it looked like she was about to cry. "Please, this is really important. I need you to tell me, I need to know."

"Why?" Naruto then knew what this was about and reasserted a foot space between them, his eyes hard and cold. "Sakura-chan, I'm not stupid. I know you've been carrying a torch for him all these years and I've accepted that. I never had a chance and you've done enough to show me that – even when I thought I did have one. I don't know what you're trying to do but I'm done with it."

Sakura drew back sharply fresh tears in her eyes, looking absolutely shocked. "Naruto, I… I…" She swallowed. "That's not true." Her eyes closed and she lowered her chin. "All right," she whispered. "Yes. I love him. I'll always love him, I always have and I always will. There's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

Naruto wasn't looking at her.

"But it's the same with you. Except I… Naruto, please look at me." He did so, grudgingly. He didn't want to hear anymore but he stayed. "Naruto, this is the hardest thing I ever had to do," she finally blurted.

"Then why the hell are you telling me?" he growled. "Are you looking for permission? To make sure I'm okay before you go running off to him?"

"NO!" She was getting pissed, her hands closing and clenching at her sides. "Dammit, will you let me talk?" Oh God her voice was breaking. He was making her cry. He closed his lips over his teeth and fought against biting them.

"I've been messed up for a really long time," she continued, trying hard to hold back her tears. It was killing him. "I've kept a lot from you over the years, a lot of things that I should have said and did and I regret every single one of them. I didn't hold out on you because I was waiting for Sasuke, though I won't lie to you, somewhere in that I was deluded enough to think that's what I was doing. I was never waiting for anyone, Naruto. I just didn't believe in loving someone like that again. I gave all my love to our son because I thought it was safe. But now," the tears ran freely now, "I'm standing here because now I know what I'm doing and… and I really love you, Naruto. I love you so much and it's so wrong because…because I should have told you this years ago."

Naruto started to move toward her and stopped, his eyes opening up wide when he saw what she was doing. It was strange to see a woman doing it but what it meant all but caused his heart to stop.

She was kneeling, curtsying. Oh God, she wasn't, was she…

"I know girls aren't supposed to be the ones to do this but I…" She bit off the rest of what she had to say and gazed up at him, her eyes begging for help. Moving as if he were in a dream, Naruto went to her and gently tugged her to her feet. He couldn't hide his shaking because she was doing nothing to hide hers.

"Yes," he told her, touching his forehead to hers. She let out a whimper, half-choked between a cry and a laugh. "Ne, you get so worked up over stupid things, Sakura-chan," he teased, making her slap him in the arm a little, the half-choke sounding more like a real laugh this time. "So ASAP or you want to set a date?"

"Naruto…" Sakura was still getting herself under control. "Why do you have to be like that?"

"Be like what?"

"Be you. Why would you carry a torch for a lousy person like me?"

"Why would I chase after a lousy person like Sasuke? Who the hell knows, Sakura-chan, make a choice before I'm tempted to skip past all of that and make it real right here and now."

… Well, okay, a tongue in his mouth wasn't the answer he was going for, but it was a pretty good one. "Know what," he breathed when they parted momentarily for air, "we'll talk about it later." She started tugging on his pants and he seized her wrists. "Sakura-chan, whoa, I'm not doing this here. I'm having you in my bed or on the floor next to the bed or the door… maybe the living room... but not in front of the entire village!"

"I can't help it," she breathed against his neck, causing a shiver to run through him.

"And I thought _I_ had self-control issues." Pinch. "OW!" Oh well, no matter. He'd get her back for _that_ soon enough.

He scooped her up in his arms and took off.

* * *

No way could life be this great, Ichigo decided on that Saturday afternoon just after his father's inauguration. With his father and mother finally together, his father where he always wanted to be and his mother smiling all of the time, he figured nothing could top today.Oh wait, that's right, one thing still does… 

"Tsk, you're thinking again," his girlfriend demurred from her perch sitting behind him, her chin over his shoulder. Her arms slipped around his waist. "Deadly tickle attack warning if you don't kiss me."

Ichigo laughed, turned and did. Katana let him go, hopped around lithely and plopped next to him. He smiled. She definitely seemed so much better than he'd seen her for a long time; he could see practically every sunny twinkle in her eye. "So, Squirrel King, what's the mission for today?"

"I was thinking of making you beg for mercy… or we could just make out."

"Tempting," intoned a deeper voice from Ichigo's left, "but I'm not quite ready to take our relationship that far so if you don't mind, I'd rather just stay friends."

Ichigo turned beet red, Katana giggled and Takashi just grinned, pleased with himself. "Hi Katana. Am I intruding on some serious pre-necking?"

"Not really. We did that about an hour ago."

"Behind Ichiraku's, I know."

Ichigo grinned, proud of being caught, because of his fellow Genin he was the only one who had a girlfriend. "What made it even better was the _Kazekage_ caught us. Did you see the way that guy stared at us? I thought he was going to start laughing right there in public."

Katana tapped her chin with her finger. "Gaara-sama can laugh? Is he capable of even doing that?"

Ichigo nodded. "My dad once brought me to the Sand on a short trip and I kept making faces at the guy over the top of his desk. Trust me, if he can chuckle, he can laugh."

Katana got an evil twinkle in her eye and shared the expression with Takashi who nodded in agreement. "You know who else can laugh?"

"No, whoHAHAHAHA!"

The Genin lost their balance on the short wall they'd been sitting on and wound up falling backward onto the ground in a heap. It wasn't long before they decided to have a three way sparring match that didn't really end with any of them winning but they were all smiling through the cuts and the bruises too much to care.

* * *

At this point, I suppose there wasn't much more to tell. Otosan went to his best friend's ceremony for his ascension to power and soon after he began his eight-month prison term. I wasn't happy with it, nobody was, but everyone agreed it was better than what could have happened. From that day forward, I always treated Tsunade with the greatest respect, regardless of how snarky she tended to get with me. She had given him a second chance and me she went with on faith – there weren't many people like her.

The day after Naruto became Hokage Otosan spent his last day of freedom with me. We walked through the village, I showed him my favorite places and then I made him dinner. I got him to tell me a few stories about his time with Team 7. He seemed kind of tense in his subtle you-have-to-know-him-to-be-able-to-tell way about what I'd done with the estate. I watched him make himself go through those forbidden doors into that room. I stayed behind. This was his closure and only he could give it to himself. No one else had the right to be in that room.

He stayed in there for a long time.

I was knitting in the living room when he finally emerged. I glanced up and watched him. He moved by me, his eyes fastened on the mantle above the fireplace. Like Takashi before him, he took issue with the one on the end and picked it up to look at it more closely. Then silently he held it up to me, eyebrow raised.

"You don't think it's cute?" I asked innocently yet obviously.

"No. I want to know why _you_ think it's cute."

"Oh come on. You giving your brother bunny ears is the most terminally adorable thing ever." I shrank back slightly, realizing what was going on and suddenly I was starting to feel so ashamed of myself. _Oh shit, I really fucked up this time,_ I thought, panicking. Did you ever stop to think what that means to him to see that displayed? I clutched my knitting tensely, suddenly so scared I couldn't think. Nonononono.

He looked at it again and put it back down after another moment. "My mother took this picture," he commented almost too lightly. "It was her favorite." He turned his head and looked at me, a small smile on his face. Tentatively I returned it.

Later after we'd eaten, we sat in front of the fireplace him sitting up and me stretched out on my stomach. "Are you okay?" I asked him suddenly, pausing in my oral recitation of poetry. Yes, Otosan liked it when I read poetry out loud. Living our lives on the road the way we had, often the only way to pass some of those grueling times when there was nothing to do was when I would read aloud from some of the books I carried with me. At first Otosan hadn't cared about _what_ I read so long as it filled the silence. Gradually the more often I did it, the more preferential he got about what he wanted to hear. He never read anything himself, at least not while I was looking, but he liked to be read _to_. Shinobi are entitled to their secret eccentricities – my father was no different.

"I don't know," he replied simply, staring into the flames from his place on the floor.

I debated between stanzas one and two. "I don't want you to go to prison," I spoke to the open pages. It was childish and a stupid thing to say but this was what I was feeling right now. "It's not fair. If they really knew you, none of them would do that to you."

"Katana."

"You're a good person!" I was scared, unreasonably, irrationally so. My feelings of outrage were immature, I knew that, but I was still pissed about it. "You defected to Sound but you didn't stay there, you left. Why is that all they see in the end?"

His answer was blunt and direct. "Because I knew better and they knew I knew that and I did it anyway. You know this too. It's perfectly fair."

I lowered my chin.

"I chose this path and I'll see it through. I've spent too many years chasing the phantoms of my past to look back and say it was all for nothing." I giggled. "Aa, that was corny, wasn't it?"

"Just a little."

A comfortable silence passed. I turned a few pages, idly wondering which piece to read next.

"I'm sorry."

Puzzled, I looked up. "For what?"

"For not… sending you word, for not letting you know." His eyes had this faraway darkness in them. "I wanted to, I should have. That wasn't the life I wanted for you…"

Sensing he was edging on something that had been tearing at his psyche for the past thirteen years, I sat up and closed the book, intending on dishing out some serious daughtering. "Shut up. If you're trying to tell me – me! - of all people – you were a lousy father, that is so crap. You're no Father of the Year but I daresay that not many sixteen-year-old boys would have stepped up to the task the way you did. So don't even… because I don't care how awesome shinobi you are, I _will_ kick your ass, Papa."

"_Katana_."

I froze.

But whatever reprimand he intended to give me, it faded with barely a half breath. Instead Otosan closed his eyes, shaking his head. "You say the stupidest things," he finally told me, a tiny smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.

I beamed. "I'll take that as a compliment." I picked up another book from the small pile beside me. "So what's next? Something in iambic pentameter? _The Narrow Road of the Interior? _Wait, no, you told me that one bored you. Wakayama Bokusai? Or how about _Midaregami_? I've never read it before but it's supposed to be good, according to the lady at the bookstore."

"_Battle Royale_."

"Again?"

"I like it."

I felt defeated. I had several perfectly good works right here next to me and he wanted me to read about a bunch of kids trapped on an island with exploding collars around their necks, running around trying to kill each other. _Then again, that's Papa_. What else could he relate to?

It was his last day as a free man. He owed me for missing my birthday anyway.

* * *

Somewhere out in the night a fox watched the windows of the old Uchiha estate glow in the darkness. He ran his tongue once over his lips, smiling devilishly before quickly slipping away into the darkness once again.

* * *

end 


End file.
